Akhtar Hameed Khan

Khan's work earned him the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1963, one of Asia's highest honors, for his service to rural development. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Law from Michigan State University. His methods have been replicated in dozens of countries, and his name is invoked in development circles as a benchmark for community-led change. The Winter 2014 issue of Education About Asia called him "a legendary social scientist," and World Bank officials have praised his enduring influence on poverty alleviation.