Vinayak Rao Desai

Indian anti-corruption activist who pioneered citizen-led governance reforms

Vinayak Rao Desai (1940-2015) was a visionary Indian social activist whose work laid the foundation for modern anti-corruption movements. Born in Mumbai, he pioneered the concept of 'Citizen Vigilance Committees' in the 1970s that empowered ordinary citizens to monitor government projects. His 1980 publication The People's Audit introduced participatory budgeting techniques still used today. Desai's innovative approach led to the formation of the Right to Information Act in 2005, which Transparency International called 'the most transformative transparency law of the 21st century.'

He co-founded the Jantana Vigilance Trust in 1982, creating India's first citizen-led corruption tracking system. His work inspired similar initiatives in Kenya and Brazil through the Global Anti-Corruption Network he established in 1998. Desai's legacy includes training over 50,000 community leaders through his Citizen Leadership Academy, which remains a leading institution in participatory governance.