I had earlier written about Bezwada Wilson , recipient of this year’s Magsaysay award. Another Indian was also a recipient , the popular classical music singer T M Krishna.
The South Indian classical music, also called the Karnatik music, is bound strongly by traditional customs and rules and is dominated by Brahmins. T M Krishna has questioned and broke many of the traditions. He got the award specifically for promoting social and cultural inclusiveness.
From tmkrishna.com
When he was just out of school he was appalled and disgusted to see workers doing manual scavenging of human excreta from dry latrines. When he conveyed his disgust to his parents they revealed that they were also doing the same job. It was shocking for him to know that he belonged to a”thotti” (manual scavenger) family. He contemplated suicide, but somehow decided to live on.
That day in 1986 changed his life, and saw the beginning of a movement that will liberate lakhs of manual scavengers all over India. It will also result in him, Bezwada Wilson, getting the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay award for 2016.