From Chai to Gifts: The Shifting Terminology of Corruption

From Chai to Gifts: The Shifting Terminology of Corruption Peerzada Mohsin Shafi M.Tech Infrastructure Development and Management (Hon’s) Member ASCE, Researcher-- Contracts and Planning Corruption, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary is “dishonest or illegal behaviour, especially by people in authority.” The term originates from the Latin word “corruptus” meaning “to bribe, destroy, or spoil.” Josiane Fahed-Sreih, in her book “Corruption: New Insights”, delves into the historical roots of this pervasive issue. It is as old as human civilization itself. From the first dynasty of ancient Egypt (3100–2600 B.C.), where judicial corruption was rampant, to ancient Greece, where the term “corruption” was associated with the loss of physical form, integrity, or moral virtue, this malady has plagued societies for millennia. Fast forward to the present-day corruption remains deeply entrenched in every society. In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir hundreds of corru...