Anna Hazare is one of India's well-acclaimed social activists. A former soldier in the Indian army, Anna is well known and respected for upgrading the ecology and economy of the village of Ralegan Siddhi which is located in the drought prone Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra state. The erstwhile barren village has metamorphosed into a unique model of rural development due to its effective water conservation methods, which made the villagers self-sufficient. Earlier, the same village witnessed alcoholism, utter poverty and migration to urban slums. Inspired by Hazare’s unique approach of salvaging a hopeless village, the state government has implemented the `Model Village’ scheme as part of its official strategy. Hazare is now synonymous with rural development in India.

Dr Shantha Sinha, Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)

Dr Shantha Sinha, Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is known for her pioneering work on the issue of child rights. In recognition of her efforts, she was awarded the Padmashri in 1998 and the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership in 2003. She is the founder Secretary Trustee of MV Foundation, a registered Trust based in Andhra Pradesh which has withdrawn over four Lakh children from work and mainstreamed them into schools. MV Foundation's work in setting up residential bridge courses for rescued child laborers and preparing them for formal schooling into an age-appropriate class has been widely acknowledged and has informed education policies in India and other developing countries. She is Professor in Political Science, University of Hyderabad.