New Ashoka Fellows in Asia

Ashoka elected its first Fellows in Asia 25 years ago and has since built a robust network of innovators throughout the region. Growing populations and changing economies across the continent are introducing new problems and shifting the way we approach old ones. Ashoka remains committed to strengthening the citizen sector across Asia by supporting the most promising ideas and the entrepreneurs giving them life.

Ashoka will also expand its presence in Asia over the coming year, with plans to elect the first Fellows in the Philippines, take initial launch steps in China and Japan, and explore opportunities across Southeast Asia.

Pianporn Deetes, Thailand
Grassroots action on mega-development projects

The daughter of an Ashoka Fellow, Pianporn learned early on the impact a social entrepreneur could have on society. Pianporn cultivates national and international action to prevent the disastrous impact of dams on the Salween River, the largest free-flowing river in Southeast Asia. She has successfully engaged local villagers in Thailand, Myanmar and China to research and develop both immediate and long-term action plans that engage local authorities, policy makers, and the media.

Mohammad Sirajuddin, Pakistan

Sustainable housing in low-income communities

Siraj is addressing Pakistan’s urban housing challenge by training local young professionals in construction and urban planning that is affordable and sustainable. Enhanced by a materials production unit and a housing credit program, this new generation of talent is ensuring that low-income housing works both for communities and the environment. Already in 28 districts, Siraj is expanding his program throughout Pakistan.

A.K.M. Maksud, Bangladesh
Innovative schooling for nomadic fishers

Maksud established a mobile boat school program to respond to the unique needs of the nomadic river community in Bangladesh. As a place of learning and a community forum, the schools become hubs for decision-making and human rights advocacy. The model solves the challenge of delivering education to a unique population while capitalizing on opportunities for further growth and development.

Farha Ciciek, Indonesia
Equality for women through religious institutions

Within Islamic schools and communities, Ciciek shows that faith and gender equality can co-exist by drawing attention to the emphasis placed on human equality in religious texts. To prevent increasing religious conservatism from subordinating women, Ciciek uses creative strategies such as adapting popular praise songs to celebrate women’s contributions to Muslim society. She encourages religious leaders to apply these ideas to improve women’s status.

S. Sankara Raman, India
Leading a new era for India’s disabled movement

Sankara, who lives with muscular dystrophy, is uniting the fragmented disabled community into a powerful India-wide network. His state-level federations of self-help groups equip India’s disabled—rich or poor, urban or rural—with life skills and the organizational resources to develop significant political capacity. These groups become a platform for the disabled to assert themselves, seizing their legal rights and changing society’s perception of their abilities.

Suprabha Seshan, India
Saving the environment by restoring local ecosystems

Suprabha is filling an acute need for fresh ideas in conservation. Contrary to conventional environmental conservation in India, based on either preservation or indiscriminant replanting, Suprabha diagnosed and rebuilt an entire ecosystem of local species. She now hosts a state-supported training institute at her Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary to teach this model of ecosystem restoration to local and external educators, scientists, and policymakers.