Former Naval chief gets Magsaysay Award

L Ramdas will get the award for peace and international understanding.

A former Naval Chief of India L Ramdas, 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 lead the honours in Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize this year.

The announcement came on Tuesday.

Ramdas, the 70-year-old chairperson of the India chapter of Pakistan India People Forum and IA Rehman, a Pakistani journalist and human rights advocate, will get the award for peace and international understanding, the foundation behind the Ramon Magsaysay Awards said.

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 684 million dollars in Marcos money previously stashed in Swiss banks, it 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.