Students from 20 colleges to light candles, march in Manjunath's memory

LUCKNOW: It would be almost four years when he laid down his life fighting corruption. Manjunath Shanmugam, the brave manager of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and an alumni of the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIM-L) who was murdered for blowing a whistle against oil adulteration would once again be remembered on Thursday (November 19), exactly four years after his death.Not only at the IIM-L, but across India when students from 20 colleges across the country would light candles in Manjunath's memory.
The day would be observed by Manjunath Shanmugam trust, an international IIM alumni initiative, which was established on February 26, 2006, around four months after the young man's death. Meanwhile, the trust on Tuesday would be organising a panel discussion on "corruption free India'' to be attended by Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey and former director general of police Vikram Singh.
The panel discussion would aim to increase awareness about deep rooted corruption of our country and to discuss ways through which we can fight against it. The discussion is expected to focus on: how to fight against corruption using RTI, how Manjunath and his ideology are relevant in today's India and how can educated elite contribute to build a corruption free India.
Manjunath Shanmugam is still being remembered at the IIM-L as a face who had a passion for music, sincerity and integrity. "He is still alive in our domain and would continue to be there,'' a member of the trust said. The broader vision of the trust is to build on the network, skills and resources of the professional corporate community, to help improve governance in Indian public life.
The trust has a small, focused group of trustees and Advisory Board members drawn from corporate India. Volunteers are spread across the US, UK, Europe, Singapore, Hong Kong and India.
Last year the trust took the activities of the trust a step further with its nationwide candle light march on November 19 on the death anniversary of Manjunath. The students community of 14 institutes located across India lit candles and remembered Manjunath at the same time. "This year more than 20 colleges will participate in candle light march on November 19,'' the media relations committee of IIM-L said.
This is a unique opportunity for the entire student community of India to stir nationwide consciousness, and make their voice heard about prevalent widespread corruption. "We have thought and talked much about deep-rooted corruption and government insensitiveness and today, through this march, we have an opportunity to do our share in reality,'' the committee said.
The trust had also instituted an integrity award for a person who stood for a corruption free society. Some of the prominent figures who have received the award include Prof RP Singh former vice-chancellor of Lucknow University, Akhil Gogoi, a grassroots activist from Golaghat, Assam and Jitendra Chaturvedi, Founder, DEHAT, Bahraich, UP.