Two Indians, Carnatic musician TM Krishna and human rights activist Bezwada Wilson have been conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2016. While the Chennai-born Carnatic vocalist Krishna has been awarded for ensuring social inclusiveness in culture, Karnataka born Wilson has been lauded for his efforts towards asserting the inalienable right to a life of human dignity.<br/><br/> The Magsaysay Award is an annual award, named after former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, to honour greatness of spirit in selfless service to the peoples of Asia. AIR correspondent reports other winners are Conchita Carpio-Morales from Philippines, Dompet Dhuafa from Indonesia, Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and Vientiane Rescue from Laos.<br/><br/>Bezwada Wilson is the national convenor of the Safai Karmachari Andolan. He has been named as an awardee for asserting the inalienable right to a life of human dignity. 50-year-old Wilson, born into family involved in manual scavenging in Kolar Gold Fields township in Karnataka, was the first in his family to pursue a higher education. He spent 32 years on his crusade to eradicate manual scavenging. <br/><br/>The other Indian awardee, 40 year old Carnatic musician Krishna has been hailed in the citation as showing that music can indeed be a deeply transformative force in personal lives. He was born in Chennai, and trained from the age of six in the Carnatic music under masters of the form. Though he earned a degree in economics, Krishna chose to be an artist and quickly rose to become a highly-admired concert performer.

Two Indians, Carnatic musician TM Krishna and human rights activist Bezwada Wilson have been conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2016. While the Chennai-born Carnatic vocalist Krishna has been awarded for ensuring social inclusiveness in culture, Karnataka born Wilson has been lauded for his efforts towards asserting the inalienable right to a life of human dignity. <br/><br/>The Magsaysay Award is an annual award, named after former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, to honour greatness of spirit in selfless service to the peoples of Asia. Other winners are Conchita Carpio-Morales from Philippines, Dompet Dhuafa from Indonesia, Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and Vientiane Rescue from Laos.

Two Indians, Carnatic musician TM Krishna and human rights activist Bezwada Wilson have been conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2016. While the Chennai-born Carnatic vocalist Krishna has been awarded for ensuring social inclusiveness in culture, Karnataka born Wilson has been lauded for his efforts towards asserting the inalienable right to a life of human dignity. <br/><br/>The Magsaysay Award is an annual award, named after former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, to honour greatness of spirit in selfless service to the peoples of Asia. Other winners are Conchita Carpio-Morales from Philippines, Dompet Dhuafa from Indonesia, Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and Vientiane Rescue from Laos.