Two Indians receive Magsaysay awards

Two Indians, Bharat Vatwani and Sonam Wangchuk, were on Friday presented with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, widely regarded as Asia's Nobel Prize.

At a ceremony in Manila, Cambodian activist Youk Chhang, Filipino social worker Howard Dee, Vietnamese disability rights advocate Vo Thi Hoang Yen and East Timorese social worker Maria de Lourdes Martins Cruz were also honoured.

"All are unafraid to take on large causes. All have refused to give up despite meager resources, daunting adversity and strong opposition," Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation President Carmencita Abella said, according to Efe.

Vatwani was recognised for his work rescuing mentally ill people from the streets of India and providing them with shelter and medical treatment through the Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation.

Since 1988, Vatwani has helped around 7,000 people with mental illnesses, including reuniting many with their families.

Wangchuk was honoured for developing a systematic, collaborative and community-driven approach to reforming education in remote areas of northern India. His work has helped expand opportunities for young people in Ladakh while bringing together science, culture and local communities to promote economic development.

Chhang, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, returned to Cambodia after years in exile and headed the Documentation Center, which has collected evidence of crimes against humanity committed during the regime.

Since 1995, the centre has collected and digitised around one million documents from approximately 23,000 forced-labour camps and recorded testimonies from around 10,000 victims and perpetrators.

Dee, a former Philippine ambassador to the Vatican and Malta and former negotiator with communist rebels, was honoured for his efforts to promote peace through sustainable development and poverty reduction in conflict-affected areas.

He co-founded the Assisi Development Foundation in 1975 with Jesuit priest Francisco Araneta. The organisation has since implemented more than 4,100 projects benefiting around 10.5 million Filipinos.

Martins Cruz founded the Secular Institute of Brothers and Sisters in Christ, which works with impoverished communities in East Timor through health, education and agricultural initiatives.

Yen was recognised for her efforts to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities in Vietnam.