Korvi Rakshand, the visionary founder of JAAGO Foundation, has been honoured with the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award in the Emergent Leadership category.

Often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Asia," the award recognises exceptional contributions in various fields, from public service to social innovation, reads a press release.

Established in 1957 by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund in the memory and honour of Ramon Magsaysay, the former Filipino president, the Ramon Magsaysay Award celebrates the value of integrity, courage, and selfless service of Asian individuals impacting Asian landscapes.

With this year's award, Korvi Rakshand joins the distinguished list of 344 outstanding individuals and organisations whose selfless service has offered their societies, Asia, and the world successful solutions to some of the most intractable problems of human development.

"In electing Korvi Rakshand for the 2023 Ramon Magsaysay Award, the board of trustees recognises his courage in turning away from a secure life to a more demanding one of working for the underprivileged; his strong, visionary leadership in democratising education and inspiring thousands of young people to heed the call of social transformation," stated the award committee, as it congratulated Korvi Rakshand for his indomitable spirit, visionary leadership, and unwavering commitment to social transformation.

"This award is not just a recognition for me but for every individual who has been a part of this incredible journey. Together, we prove that the young can be not just the bearers of the promise of a nation but its realisation," said Korvi Rakshand in acknowledgement of the award.

Korvi Rakshand started his transformative journey when he was deeply moved by a group of children scavenging in a dump in Bangladesh. This led him to establish the JAAGO Foundation in 2007 with a rented room in the Rayer Bazar slums of Dhaka and just 17 students. Since then, the foundation has grown exponentially and now provides free of cost, government-recognised, English-language education to over 30,000 students throughout Bangladesh.

For his societal betterment efforts, Rakshand has received several other international awards such as the Mosaic Talent Award in the International Category from HRH Prince of Wales, Prince Charles in 2010, Commonwealth Youth Awards in 2013, Andrew E Rice Honourable Mention Award by Society for International Development in 2017, Commonwealth Point of Light Award by Office of the Prime Minister, United Kingdom in 2021, The Sheikh Hasina Youth Volunteer Award by Ministry of Youth and Sports, Government of Bangladesh in 2022.

He was also included in the list among the Top 99 Under 33 Foreign Policy Leaders by The Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy in 2013, Top 10 Globally Inspiring Bangladeshis by British Bangladesh Power Inspiration in 2014, Top Ten Outstanding Young Person of Bangladesh by Junior Chamber International (JCI) Bangladesh in 2015, and was also selected as Asia 21 Young Leaders by Asia Society in 2015.

Under Rakshand's visionary leadership, JAAGO Foundation also initiated the Volunteer for Bangladesh (VBD) programme in 2011. VBD has become a youth movement involving more than 50,000 leaders actively working for social betterment.

This year, four individuals across were nominated for the awards in different categories. They are: Ravi Kannan R from India, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer from Philippines, Eugenio Lemos from Timor-Leste, and Korvi Rakshand from Bangladesh.