Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of Bangladesh-based poverty alleviation NGO wins World Food Prize 2015

Fazle Hasan Abed of Bangladesh has been named as the winner of the 2015 World Food Prize.
He is founder and chairman of Bangladesh-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) BRAC (originally known as Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) which is world’s largest NGO.
Since its formation, BRAC is being credited for helping more than 150 million people out of poverty. It was formed as a temporary relief organization to help people of Bangladesh to recover from the devastating tropical cyclone Bhola in 1972 which had killed about 500,000 people. It also had actively participated and fought in 1971 Indo-Pakistan war for independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan.
Later BRAC had grown into one of the world’s largest NGO with prime focus on alleviating poverty. It has expanded its operations in more than 10 countries especially in Asia and Africa.
For contributions to social improvement, Fazle Hasan Abed he been bestowed with prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award (2010) and UNDP’s Mahbub Ul Haq Award (also known as Human Development Award) in 2004.

About World Food Prize

• Established in 1986 by Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug (father of the Green Revolution).
• It is an annual award that recognizes scientists and others who have improved the quality and availability of food.
• It carries monetary award of 250,000 dollars.
• Since its formation, 7 Indians have won it. They are Dr Sanjaya Rajaram (2014), Dr Modadugu Vijay Gupta (2005), Dr Surinder K. Vasal (2000), Dr B. R. Barwale (1998), Dr Gurdev Khush (1996), Dr Verghese Kurien (1989) and Prof. M. S. Swaminathan (1987).

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2015