GeneralGovt retracts statement denying Ankit Fadia is Digital India ambassador (Update)

Govt retracts statement denying Ankit Fadia is Digital India ambassador (Update)

The controversy over whether Ankit Fadia is the ambassador for the Digital India movement has become even murkier, with the government issuing, and then retracting, a statement denying the appointment. News of the selection spread across social media after September 27, when the self-professed ethical hacker posted photos on his Facebook page as proof.

The appointment has garnered several negative reactions from people, who question Fadia’s suitability as a representative due to his dubious history. The Press Bureau of India sent out a report on September 29 asserting that the news was false, but took it down after an hour. The document still shows up in Google search results, but does not link to the original statement.

Ankit Fadia

An official confirmation or denial is supposed to be issued by the government later in the day. In the meanwhile, Fadia’s Facebook page still shows pictures of a Digital India event he attended. One of the photos is of a certificate he allegedly received from the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY).

The document declares that Fadia has been chosen as the brand ambassador for the Digital India initiative. The position is apparently his for the duration of a year and involves the promotion of the products and apps launched under the program. While it’s possible the certificate is fake and has been photoshopped, the quick withdrawal by the government makes the appointment seem possible.

Ankit Fadia Certificate

In any case, the administration will look foolish no matter what the outcome is. Ankit Fadia is known as a technology guru and has written several books offering tips on becoming tech-savvy. He claims to have hacked into Chip magazine; an assertion which was debunked by Charles Assisi, one of the editors at the publication, in an old Forbes article which has since resurfaced on social media.

Update: Apart from Fadia, All India IIT-JEE toppers Satwat Jagwani and Krati Tiwari as well as Pranav Mistry, Samsung USA (Computer Scientist and author of 6th Sense), have been appointed as ambassadors for the Digital India campaign.

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