J. Gopikrishnan is an Indian journalist who uncovered the 2G scam.[1] He was awarded the Ramnath Goenka Journalist of the Year Award in print in 2012.[2][3] His first report on 2G Scam appeared in ‘The Pioneer”, English newspaper on December 11, 2008, exposing the hidden list of companies floated by the relatives of then telecom minister A.Raja. In “The Pioneer”, J Gopikrishnan had continuously wrote series of reports on various aspects of 2G Scam and Aircel-Maxis Scam and other related reports on the violations of the telecom scandal and the politico- corporate players involved in it for three years. “The Pioneer” had published more than 200 reports on the telecom scandal which shook Indian government lead by the Congress party leading to the electoral drubbing in 2014.
Gopikrishnan’s major reports on the 2G Scam, which rocked the ruling Congress led UPA Government is available at his personal blog : http://jgopikrishnan.blogspot.in/
Important series of reports on 2G Scam were on the midnight letters between then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Telecom minister A.Raja, expose of phone tapping of controversial lobbyist Niira Radia, hidden minutes of the meetings between then Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Telecom Minister A.Raja and violations in FIPB approvals of Aircel-Maxis scam by former Finance Minister P Chidambaram. Apart from Ramnath Goenka award for the Journalist of the Year – 2009 (awarded in January 2012), Gopikrishnan had also bagged several prestigious awards like CNN-IBN television channel’s ‘Indian of the Year’ (Special category ) in December 2010 and Rajasthan Patrika newspaper’s KC Kulish International Award for Excellence in Journalism -2010 (awarded on March 2014).
He also presented a paper on ‘Telecom scandal of India” in coveted international journalist’s conference in Norway – SKUP in March 2012. http://nettsidearkiv.skup.no/www.skup.no/Konferansearkiv/copy-of-Konferansen_2012/5502.html One of the 2G scam hit company was Telenor from Norway. In the conference, Telenor’s CEO Jon Fredrik Baksaas was invited to present his version and his company’s involvement in the telecom scandal. But in the last minute he did not participate in the debate with J Gopikrishnan, moderated by veteran Norwegian journalist and news presenter Steinar Mediaas
Anti-Corruption Movement:
J Gopikrishnan was actively involved in the anti-corruption movements in India started from late 2010, when 2G Scam hit the headlines following the resignation and arrest of then Telecom Minister A. Raja. He was a complainant to CBI and CAG from 2009 about the ramification of the scam demanding probe on telecom scandal. He deposed before Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on March 2011 on the telecom scandal and Niira Radia tapes. He is an active member of Action Committee Against Corruption in India (ACACI), headed by BJP leader Dr.Subramanian Swamy and Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reform (CJAR) headed by noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan. He associated with Subramanian Swamy and Prashant Bhushan in their legal cases on the telecom scandal and other major corruption cases. Gopikirshnan had participated in several seminars in India and abroad and made speeches on mainly media ethics and corporatisation of media. He is regular speaker in several media institutes.
Journalistic Career:
After the post graduate course in Public Administration, J Gopikrishnan in early 1994 started his career as Sub-Broker in Stock Exchanges in Kerala and switched over to media field in late 1995 as a Stringer of Doordarshan’s Thiruvananthapuram station. He was Television producer of several documentaries in Doorsharshan and Asianet TV channels. He obtained Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism from Institute of Journalism, Press Club, Thiruvananthapuram from 1998-1999 batch. He worked with several media organisations in Kerala and shifted to Delhi and joined in “The Pioneer” in 2008. He also writes columns in several news organisations in Malayalam language.
Personal Life:
J Gopikrishnan was born in 1970 in Thalassey in Kerala. His father, late K Jayachandran was a Mathematics professor and a well known short story writer in Kerala. He passed away in August 2001. His mother K. Lakshmikutty was an English professor. His brother J Anil Kumar is an engineer. Gopikrishnan is married to Dr.N Nisha Rani, a Ph.D scholar in Carnatic Music in September 2002. They have one daughter G.N. Geethanjali.
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