Ramon Magsaysay Award 2016

Human rights activist Bezwada Wilson,a renowned campaigner against manual scavenging, and south Indian classical musician T.M. Krishna from Chennai, received the prestigious Magsaysay Award on Wednesday along with Philippine ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Indonesian charity
organisation Dompet Dhuafa, Laos’ free ambulance service Vientiane Rescue and Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers

Mr. Krishna will receive the award Under the category ‘Emergent Leadership.The award committee hailed him for “showing that music can indeed be a deeply transformative force in personal lives and society itself,social inclusiveness in culture," while Wilson was named as an awardee for "asserting the inalienable right to a life of human dignity." Mr. Wilson, is the national convener of the Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA).

Background

• The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation was created in 1957 and was named after the third president of the Republic of the Philippines after World War II
• In the same year (1957) Philippines lost Ramon Magsaysay in a plane crash on March 17.
  The Award is presented to awardees in formal ceremonies in Manila, Philippines on August 31, the birth anniversary of Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay
• The first Ramon Magsaysay Awards were given on August 31, 1958
• The first awards were given to five outstanding individuals working in India, Indonesia, Philippines, Republic of China (Taiwan) and Sri Lanka, and a Philippine-based organization
• It is considered as the Nobel prize of Asia

• The Award is given in six categories: government service; public service; community leadership; journalism, literature and creative communication arts; peace and international understanding; and emergent leadership

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