Former Indian Navy chief Admiral (retd) L Ramdas is among the winners of the Ramon Magsaysay award, it was announced on Tuesday.
The 70-year-old Ramdas bags the award for peace and international understanding. He is the chairperson of the India chapter of Pakistan-India People Forum. Sharing the award with Ramdas is I A Rehman, a Pakistani journalist and human rights advocate.
Magsaysay award is Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
Others who have won the award for various categories include the head of the agency tracking down wealth stolen by deposed Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos and a Chinese doctor who exposed China's cover-up of last year's SARS epidemic.
Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) helps build popular support for peace between the two neighbours.
Haydee Yorac won the government service award for her part in recovering US $684 million in Marcos money
previously stashed in Swiss banks, a release said, praising her "unwavering pursuit of the rule of law in the Philippines."
The award for public service went to SARS whistleblower Jiang Yanyong, who was cited for his "brave stand for truth in China, spurring life-saving measures to confront and contain the deadly threat of SARS."
Other winners were Abdullah Abu Sayeed of Bangladesh for journalism literature and creative communication arts; Prayong Ronnarong of Thailand for community leadership and Benjamin Abadiano of the Philippines for emerging leadership.
Agencies
