Being the first Indian non-profit to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award is a historic moment for the country, says the founder, adding they are working to share the blueprint beyond India.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, 2025 has been announced for ‘Educate Girls’, an Indian organisation that works to educate unprivileged girls across the country. Educate Girls, also known as Foundation to Educate Girls Globally, is one of the three winners of this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award. The other winners are Shaahina Ali of Maldives and Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva of Philippines.

“An Indian organisation whose groundbreaking work in addressing gender injustice in education in India’s most rural and remote areas creates a ripple effect that uplifts families, communities, and entire societies,” said the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation announcing the award for Educate Girls.

Acknowledging the award, Gayatri Nair Lobo, CEO of Educate Girls, said the announcement was “historic and humbling”

“Educate Girls is the first Indian organisation to win the Ramon Magsaysay Award. It is absolutely thrilling news for us and this award belongs to our teams across the country — our preraks, our team balika, the government, our donors and partners. But mostly this award belongs to our girls. Our girls who work tirelessly to get education,” said Ms. Lobo in a video statement while congratulating environmental activist Shaahina Ali of Maldives and Fr. Flaviano Antonio L. Villanueva of the Philippines, who shot to fame for opposing former President Rodrigo Duterte’s infamous drug war, which led to widespread human rights abuse in his country.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award was started in 1958 to celebrate “greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia”. Since 1958, over 300 achievers and organisations from Asia have received this award.

(With PTI inputs)

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)