Ramon Magsaysay Awards 2015

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, Asia’s premier prize and highest honor, celebrates greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia.  In the past five decades, the award has been bestowed on over three hundred outstanding men, women and organizations whose selfless service has offered their societies, Asia, and the world successful solutions to some of the most intractable problems of human development.

The trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation annually select the awardees.  Awardees are presented with a certificate and a medallion with an embossed image of Ramon Magsaysay facing right in profile.  The Award is presented to them in formal ceremonies in Manila, Philippines on August 31st, the    birth anniversary of the much-esteemed Philippine President whose ideals inspired the Award’s creation in 1957.

2015 Award winners:

Kommaly Chanthavong, from Laos.  She is being recognized for “her fearless, indomitable spirit to revive and develop the ancient Laotian art of silk weaving, creating livelihoods for thousands of poor, war-displaced Laotians, and thus preserving the dignity of women and her nation’s priceless silken cultural treasure.”

Ligaya Fernando-Amilbangsa, from the Philippines.  She is being recognized for “her single-minded crusade in preserving the endangered artistic heritage of southern Philippines, and in creatively propagating a dance form that celebrates and deepens the sense of shared cultural identity among Asians.”

Anshu Gupta, from India.  He is being recognized for “his creative vision in transforming the culture of giving in India, his enterprising leadership in treating cloth as a sustainable development resource for the poor, and in reminding the world that true giving always respects and preserves human dignity.”

Kyaw Thu, from Myanmar.  He is being recognized for “his generous compassion in addressing the fundamental needs of both the living and the dead in Myanmar -- regardless of their class or religion -- and his channeling personal fame and privilege to mobilize many others toward serving the greater social good.”

Sanjiv Chaturvedi, for Emergent Leadership, from India.  He is being recognized for “his exemplary integrity, courage and tenacity in uncompromisingly exposing and painstakingly investigating corruption in public office, and his resolute crafting of program and system improvements to ensure that government honorably serves the people of India.”