Awards AppointmentsMonday, 31 August 2026·The Hindu - International
Ramon Magsaysay Awards 2026: Tommy Koh, Bo Kyi and Runa Khan honoured for law, democracy and social service
The 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Awards honoured Tommy Koh, Bo Kyi and Runa Khan for ocean law, democracy and social service.
Key highlights
Direct fact
On August 31, 2026, the Ramon Magsaysay Awards named Singaporean lawyer-diplomat Tommy Koh, Myanmar activist Bo Kyi and Bangladeshi social worker Runa Khan as winners for their work linked to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, democracy and support for the poor.
Key specifics
- Tommy Koh, 88, helped preside over the 1982 UN conference that adopted the Law of the Sea treaty.
- Bo Kyi, 61, spent seven years in prison and co-founded the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners in March 2000.
- Runa Khan began teaching poor children in 1979 and founded Friendship Bangladesh in 2002.
- The awards body described the Law of the Sea as a “constitution for the oceans” defining territorial waters and economic rights.
- Friendship Bangladesh works on climate change, education, women’s empowerment and livelihood opportunities.
Exam lens
Question type: Awards and personalities, international organisations, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Myanmar democracy movement, social service in Bangladesh. TNPSC may ask the year 1982, the organisation names, and the awardees’ countries.