Indian social activist Kulandei Francis, age sixty six will be felicitated with the Magsaysay Award. In the year 1979, Francis begun with his organisation, Integrated Village Development Project (IVDP) in Krishnagiri, wherein he initially started with small projects, amongst his achievements, he has conducted night schools in the light of gas lamps, set up first aid centres. Then, with the help of development organizations, he undertook a micro-watershed programme that, over twenty-two years, built three thirty one mostly small check dams benefitting cultivators and their families in sixty villages.
His organisation, the Integrated Village Development Project also provides training to rural students a in enhancing their skills namely training in rural sanitation, accountancy, management, giving educational assistance for students in high schools, scholarships and also computer skills. The visionary Mr. Francis was also successful in pursuing the holistic economic empowerment of thousands of women and their families.
The Board of Trustees of the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) announced the recipients of this year, 2012 Asia's premier prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award on 25 July 2012. The six individuals chosen from around the globe are from countries, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.
The other people chosen for the prizes, announced by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) in Manila, are Ms Chen Shu-Chu from Taiwan, Mr Romulo Davide from the Phillipines, Ms Syeda Rizwana Hasan of Bangladesh, Mr Yang Saing Koma of Cambodia and Mr Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto from Indonesia.
Kulandai Francis who has been awarded with the Magsaysay says, working with the objective of eradicating poverty and empowering more than one lakh rural women for thirty five long years has got him the award.
Magsaysay Award winners receive a certificate, a medallion bearing the likeness of the late President, and a cash prize. They will be formally felicitated with the Magsaysay Award during the Presentation Ceremonies which is to be held on 31 August 2012 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila.
In the past, many Indians have won the Magsaysay award. In the year 1958, awardee was Vinoba Bhave, in the year 1959 C.D Deshmukh, again in the year 1994, it was awarded to Kiran Bedi, in 1996, T.N seshan , in the year 2003, James Michael Lyngdoh,in the year 1965 Jayaprakash Narayan,In 1974 M.S. Subbulakshmi was awarded, in 1982 Manibhai Desaiwas awarded.
Ramón del Fierro Magsaysay was the seventh President of the Republic of the Philippines, he served from 30 December 1953 until his death in a 1957 aircraft disaster.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award known as Asia's Nobel Prize was established in April 1957 by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers .
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