Last April 28, Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF) Trustee Emily A. Abrera and RMAF President Susan B. Afan went to New Delhi, India to reconnect with Ramon Magsaysay Awardees Deep Joshi and Anshu Gupta. The visit is in preparation for the limited edition 7-volume book series “Greatness of Spirit,” to be launched as part of the 65th anniversary of the Ramon Magsaysay Award this year.
RMAF Trustee Ms. Abrera shares, “The members of the RMAF Board of Trustees always welcome the opportunity to visit our Ramon Magsaysay Awardees and personally see the extraordinary work they do for their communities and for Asia. Our Magsaysay Awardees are like family and reunions like these allow us to reconnect and further deepen our relationship with them. This is something that everyone in the Board looks forward to.”
Anshu Gupta gives a tour of the Goonj headquarters to (L-R) Deep Joshi, Emily A. Abrera, and Susan B. Afan
Anshu Gupta, often referred to as India’s “Clothing Man”, received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2015 for “his creative vision in transforming the culture of giving in India, his enterprising leadership in treating cloth as a sustainable development resource for the poor, and in reminding the world that true giving always respects and preserves human dignity.” Deep Joshi, one of the most respected figures in development in India, received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2009 for “his vision and leadership in bringing professionalism to the NGO movement in India by effectively combining ‘head’ and ‘heart’ in the transformative work of rural development.”
Anshu Gupta, who founded GOONJ, an organization that promotes clothing as a development tool, gave RMAF a tour of their headquarters to witness their operations that have benefited millions of Indians across 31 states. Deep Joshi, founder of Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN), also joined the tour. To cap off the visit, an intimate dialogue between the Foundation’s representatives and the Magsaysay Laureates was held.
RMAF President Susan B. Afan shares, “Our Magsaysay Awardees are a diverse group of transformative leaders but their common denominator is Greatness of Spirit. Our continuing vision is to help them amplify their universal messages and hopefully replicate their successful solutions across borders. As the world opens its borders post-pandemic, our focus is to connect them with the young leaders and thought leaders in Asia who share the same vision.”
In preparation for this year’s 65th anniversary celebrations, the Foundation is actively seeking opportunities to collaborate with other awardees, including Anshu Gupta and Deep Joshi, for the publication of a limited edition 7-volume book series called “Greatness of Spirit” featuring all of the Ramon Magsaysay Laureates from 1958 to 2023. The first-of-its-kind collection celebrates the Ramon Magsaysay Awardees who have greatly contributed to addressing Asia’s most pressing challenges. With each of the Laureate’s digital portraits, archival photos, personal stories, and messages for today’s youth, the Foundation hopes that this book will inspire future generations to take action and help Asia to be a better and kinder place.