Anna Hazare takes his anti-graft movement to US
13 Aug 2013
Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement may not have borne much fruit in India where it matters, but it has certainly propelled him to international fame – he was off to Washington today for a two-week US visit, where a big welcome awaited him.
The handful of conscientious Indian politicos may take note that they would never receive the kind of red carpet that awaits Anna. He will lead a parade in New York to mark India's Independence Day on 15 August; ring the opening bell at NASDAQ; and later dine with the Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, who has Indian roots.
Kisan Baburao (Anna) Hazare, 76, is a war veteran who embraced the values of Mahatma Gandhi and other Indian social leaders. He turned around his once-poor village of Ralegon Siddhi into a prosperous society before focusing on the deep-rooted corruption in Indian government and administration.
His massively-attended rally in 2011 demanding a strong anti-corruption watchdog aroused the nation and briefly shook New Delhi - and obviously made international waves as well.
Hazare will visit the United Nations headquarters in New York; meet US lawmakers at Capitol Hill, and interact with students and academicians in San Francisco, Maryland, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Columbia University.
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