July 30, 2025 • 10 mins
Gillian Woodward and Roger Basick share about a unique way of fighting against corruption that is being used in India.
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https://spotlightenglish.com/culture/zero-for-tea-money/www.spotlightenglish.com
Download our app for Android at http://bit.ly/spotlight-android
Download our app for iOS at http://bit.ly/spotlight-apple
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spotlightradio
Are you learning English? Are you looking for a way to practice your English? Listen to Spotlight to learn about people and places all around the world. You can learn English words, and even practice English by writing a comment.
Visit our website to follow along with the script: http://spotlightenglish.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Spotlight Advanced. I'm Jillian Woodward.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
And I'm Roger Bassic. Spotlight Advanced uses a special English
method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand
no matter where in the world they live.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Corruption it is a problem all over the world. Corrupt
government officials or dishonest people take money that they have
no right to take. One common form of corruption is bribery.
A bribe is an unofficial and often illegal payment of money.
For example, a company may receive a big business deal
(00:51):
from the government by secretly paying a bribe to a
dishonest government official.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
India is one country where the bribery is a major problem.
Indian citizens often have to pay small bribes for even
the most basic services, services which are supposed to be free.
Corrupt officials will ask Indian citizens for money for tea. However,
(01:19):
tea is never served and people understand that when an
official asks for t money, he is really asking for
a bribe. A citizen who does not pay the bribe
may have to wait an extra long time for important documents,
building permits, and other requests.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Many Indian citizens accept bribery as a normal part of life. However,
fifth pillar is one organization that does not agree. It
believes that individual Indians have the power to end India's
culture of bribery. Today's spotlight is on Fifth Pillar and
(01:59):
n and it's zero rupee banknote movement.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Indian banknotes are printed in seven values. The smallest is
five rupees, the largest is one thousand rupees. But the
Fifth Pillar organization has also started to print another kind
of rupee note. This note looks like the fifty rupee banknote.
It is the same size, the same color, and it
(02:30):
has the same picture of Mahatma Gandhi on the front. However,
Fifth Pillar's note is very different. In place of the
number fifty on the banknote, Fifth Pillar's note as a zero, yes,
a zero, and Fifth Pillar's zero rupee banknote is worth
just that zero rupees.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
It does not seem to make sense that anyone would
print a zero rupee note. The note is not real money,
it cannot be used to purchase anything, and it does
not appear to have any real value. However, Fifth Pillar
is not printing these notes for profit. Instead, it prints
the notes as part of an effort to fight bribery
(03:13):
in India. The zero rupee note contains the words end
corruption at all levels, where the words Reserve Bank of
India would usually be found. It also contains the statement
I promised to neither accept nor give a bribe.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
In nineteen ninety seven, Satindar Mohan Bergat created the zero
rupee idea. Bagat was an Indian citizen, but he lived
and worked in the United States. On a trip home
to India, Bagot was angered by the amount of bribery
and corruption that he saw, so he decided to design
(03:58):
and print a zero ruby note. His idea was to
give the note to any person that asked him for
a bribe.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Ten years later, the Fifth Pillar organization learned about Bagat's idea.
Fifth Pillar decided to use the zero rupee in their
fight against corruption. Since two thousand and seven, Fifth Pillar
has printed and given out millions of zero rupee notes.
The organization prints these notes in five of India's languages, Tamil, Hindi, Canada, Malayalam,
(04:36):
and Telugu. Fifth Pillar's president is vej anand he told
CNN our.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Only goal is to encourage zero acceptance of corruption in
the future. Corruption is one of the greatest barriers to
developing as a country. It has become a poisonous custom
in our culture, and we need to defeat it.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Many experts agree that bribery has a negative effect on
a country's national economy, and with a smaller national economy,
a country is less able to compete with larger economies. However,
bribery has negative effects at a personal level. Two, the
worst result of bribery is its damaging effects on poor people.
(05:33):
Shashi Tharor is a member of the Indian government. He
has a popular website on it, he wrote.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Really, the biggest victims of corruption in our country are
the poor. For the rich, corruption is just a minor problem.
For the middle class, it can be troublesome, but for
the poor it is often a tragedy.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Without money to pay bribes, India's poor have little chance
to get the goods and services they need to survive.
This is why Fifth Pillar thinks the zero rupee note
is so important. It is a simple tool that individuals
poor or rich can use to fight back.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Bribes are common in India, but they are illegal. In fact,
officials caught accepting bribes can go to jail. The problem
is that people are often afraid not to pay bribes
and they feel it is useless to report bribery because
bribery is also common among the police. Without support from
(06:42):
the police, people feel alone in their struggle. However, the
zero rupee note is a way people can refuse to
give bribes without reporting the corrupt official. It is a
way for one person to remind a corrupt official of
the illegal nature of their request. The hope is that
(07:02):
officials will change, that they will stop asking for bribes.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
But how is giving someone a zero rupee note different
from simply refusing to pay them anything. Bribe takers are
not fooled. They do not think the money is real.
The zero rupee note works because bribery is a crime
in India, even though it is so common, and most
(07:28):
officials only ask for bribes because they think they will
not get caught. When they are given a zero rupee note,
they are ashamed and worried that they will be caught.
The zero rupee notes weaken the crime by bringing it
into the open. A Nand told Public Radio International.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
When the zero rupee is handed to an official, that
makes a strong statement that the citizen is not alone
in a fight against corruption.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
But does the zero rupee note really work? An end
would say yes, Fifth Pillar has recorded many many examples
of its success. One small example concerns an Indian man
named Rajesh Chadlan. He told the national newspaper about a
train trip from Madurai to Chennai.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
There were several beds in the train, but the worker
did not want to give one to me. He said
that he would get me a bed only if I
paid a bribe. I gave him a zero rupee note.
I looked at him in his eyes, letting him know
that I would not pay the bribe. He looked worried
and shamed, and within a few seconds he gave me
(08:51):
a bed.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
The zero rupee note is working for many individual people
in India like Chandran. Now the idea is spreading. Organizations
in other countries are considering trying their own zero money note. Today,
Fifth Pillar is starting a campaign called zero Currency to
(09:16):
spread this idea to the rest of the world.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Can such a movement of individuals change a culture? Does
the zero rupee have value far beyond money or will
corruption always be part of society?
Speaker 1 (09:37):
You can leave a comment on our website at www
dot Spotlight English dot com. You can also find us
on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Blue Sky, and X. You can
also get our programs delivered directly to your Android or
Apple device through our free official Spotlight English app.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
The writer of this program was from the Spotlight team.
The producer was Dan Christman. The voices you heard were
from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes
were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. This
program is called zero for Tea Money.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
We hope you can join us again for the next
Spotlight program. Goodbye,
Welcome to Spotlight Advanced. I'm Jillian Woodward.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
And I'm Roger Bassic. Spotlight Advanced uses a special English
method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand
no matter where in the world they live.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Corruption it is a problem all over the world. Corrupt
government officials or dishonest people take money that they have
no right to take. One common form of corruption is bribery.
A bribe is an unofficial and often illegal payment of money.
For example, a company may receive a big business deal
(00:51):
from the government by secretly paying a bribe to a
dishonest government official.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
India is one country where the bribery is a major problem.
Indian citizens often have to pay small bribes for even
the most basic services, services which are supposed to be free.
Corrupt officials will ask Indian citizens for money for tea. However,
(01:19):
tea is never served and people understand that when an
official asks for t money, he is really asking for
a bribe. A citizen who does not pay the bribe
may have to wait an extra long time for important documents,
building permits, and other requests.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Many Indian citizens accept bribery as a normal part of life. However,
fifth pillar is one organization that does not agree. It
believes that individual Indians have the power to end India's
culture of bribery. Today's spotlight is on Fifth Pillar and
(01:59):
n and it's zero rupee banknote movement.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Indian banknotes are printed in seven values. The smallest is
five rupees, the largest is one thousand rupees. But the
Fifth Pillar organization has also started to print another kind
of rupee note. This note looks like the fifty rupee banknote.
It is the same size, the same color, and it
(02:30):
has the same picture of Mahatma Gandhi on the front. However,
Fifth Pillar's note is very different. In place of the
number fifty on the banknote, Fifth Pillar's note as a zero, yes,
a zero, and Fifth Pillar's zero rupee banknote is worth
just that zero rupees.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
It does not seem to make sense that anyone would
print a zero rupee note. The note is not real money,
it cannot be used to purchase anything, and it does
not appear to have any real value. However, Fifth Pillar
is not printing these notes for profit. Instead, it prints
the notes as part of an effort to fight bribery
(03:13):
in India. The zero rupee note contains the words end
corruption at all levels, where the words Reserve Bank of
India would usually be found. It also contains the statement
I promised to neither accept nor give a bribe.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
In nineteen ninety seven, Satindar Mohan Bergat created the zero
rupee idea. Bagat was an Indian citizen, but he lived
and worked in the United States. On a trip home
to India, Bagot was angered by the amount of bribery
and corruption that he saw, so he decided to design
(03:58):
and print a zero ruby note. His idea was to
give the note to any person that asked him for
a bribe.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Ten years later, the Fifth Pillar organization learned about Bagat's idea.
Fifth Pillar decided to use the zero rupee in their
fight against corruption. Since two thousand and seven, Fifth Pillar
has printed and given out millions of zero rupee notes.
The organization prints these notes in five of India's languages, Tamil, Hindi, Canada, Malayalam,
(04:36):
and Telugu. Fifth Pillar's president is vej anand he told
CNN our.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Only goal is to encourage zero acceptance of corruption in
the future. Corruption is one of the greatest barriers to
developing as a country. It has become a poisonous custom
in our culture, and we need to defeat it.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Many experts agree that bribery has a negative effect on
a country's national economy, and with a smaller national economy,
a country is less able to compete with larger economies. However,
bribery has negative effects at a personal level. Two, the
worst result of bribery is its damaging effects on poor people.
(05:33):
Shashi Tharor is a member of the Indian government. He
has a popular website on it, he wrote.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Really, the biggest victims of corruption in our country are
the poor. For the rich, corruption is just a minor problem.
For the middle class, it can be troublesome, but for
the poor it is often a tragedy.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Without money to pay bribes, India's poor have little chance
to get the goods and services they need to survive.
This is why Fifth Pillar thinks the zero rupee note
is so important. It is a simple tool that individuals
poor or rich can use to fight back.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Bribes are common in India, but they are illegal. In fact,
officials caught accepting bribes can go to jail. The problem
is that people are often afraid not to pay bribes
and they feel it is useless to report bribery because
bribery is also common among the police. Without support from
(06:42):
the police, people feel alone in their struggle. However, the
zero rupee note is a way people can refuse to
give bribes without reporting the corrupt official. It is a
way for one person to remind a corrupt official of
the illegal nature of their request. The hope is that
(07:02):
officials will change, that they will stop asking for bribes.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
But how is giving someone a zero rupee note different
from simply refusing to pay them anything. Bribe takers are
not fooled. They do not think the money is real.
The zero rupee note works because bribery is a crime
in India, even though it is so common, and most
(07:28):
officials only ask for bribes because they think they will
not get caught. When they are given a zero rupee note,
they are ashamed and worried that they will be caught.
The zero rupee notes weaken the crime by bringing it
into the open. A Nand told Public Radio International.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
When the zero rupee is handed to an official, that
makes a strong statement that the citizen is not alone
in a fight against corruption.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
But does the zero rupee note really work? An end
would say yes, Fifth Pillar has recorded many many examples
of its success. One small example concerns an Indian man
named Rajesh Chadlan. He told the national newspaper about a
train trip from Madurai to Chennai.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
There were several beds in the train, but the worker
did not want to give one to me. He said
that he would get me a bed only if I
paid a bribe. I gave him a zero rupee note.
I looked at him in his eyes, letting him know
that I would not pay the bribe. He looked worried
and shamed, and within a few seconds he gave me
(08:51):
a bed.
Speaker 1 (08:56):
The zero rupee note is working for many individual people
in India like Chandran. Now the idea is spreading. Organizations
in other countries are considering trying their own zero money note. Today,
Fifth Pillar is starting a campaign called zero Currency to
(09:16):
spread this idea to the rest of the world.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Can such a movement of individuals change a culture? Does
the zero rupee have value far beyond money or will
corruption always be part of society?
Speaker 1 (09:37):
You can leave a comment on our website at www
dot Spotlight English dot com. You can also find us
on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Blue Sky, and X. You can
also get our programs delivered directly to your Android or
Apple device through our free official Spotlight English app.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
The writer of this program was from the Spotlight team.
The producer was Dan Christman. The voices you heard were
from the United States and the United Kingdom. All quotes
were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight. This
program is called zero for Tea Money.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
We hope you can join us again for the next
Spotlight program. Goodbye,
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