The Ramon Magsaysay Awards were established in 1957 in honor of the late President of the Philippines who died in a plane crash in March 1957. | Photo credit: (RM Award Foundation)
Often called Asia’s Nobel Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Prize was established in 1957 in memory of the late Ramon Magsaysay, the former President of the Philippines who died in a plane crash in March of that year. Mr. Magsaysay was known for leading the charge against the communist Hukbahalap or Huk movement and was popular among his people.
The first prizes were awarded in 1958, in five categories.
Indian freedom fighter Acharya Vinoba Bhave, who led the Bhoodan movement, won the first prize for community leadership. Dr. Mary Rutnam, who worked for the people of Sri Lanka and introduced women’s institutions known as the Lanka Mahila Samiti, received the first Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service. The Philippine organization Operation Brotherhood, which provided medical treatment to refugees in Vietnam, received the award for peace and international understanding.
The first Ramon Magsaysay Prize for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication was shared between Maakar Lubis, editor-in-chief of Indonesia Raya, who spoke out against corruption and authoritarianism in government, and Robert McCulloch Dick, the Scottish founder and publisher of The Philippine Free Presswhich reported on social injustices and helped guarantee press freedom in the country.
Chiang Mon-Lin, the chairman of the Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction, whose work has helped increase agricultural production and improve the quality of life of Chinese farmers, has won the Award for Government Service.
In 2008, these five categories were discontinued. But since 2009, a new category has been introduced, the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership.
Since its inception, more than 300 people and 26 organizations from 22 Asian countries have won the award. This year’s winners, who will be congratulated at a ceremony in Manila, are: beloved Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, Bhutanese scholar and social worker Phuntsho Karma, Vietnamese doctor Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, who works with victims of Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War, Indonesian conservationist Farhan Farwiza, founder of Yayasan Hutan Alam dan Lingkungan Aceh (HAkA), dedicated to the conservation of the Leuser ecosystem, and the Rural Doctors Movement from Thailand.
We take a look into their journey and their lives.
Published – Sep 12, 2024 7:51 PM IST
