UN Sasakawa Disaster Reduction Award 2022 for Dr. Rajib Shaw of Keio University, Japan
A Japanese national of Indian origin Dr. Shaw bagged the award that recognizes his contribution to "building resilience through a multi-hazard approach" out of 200 nominations from across the world.
NEW DELHI/TOKYO: Dr. Rajib Shaw, Professor in Graduate School of Media and Governance in Keio University’s Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC), Tokyo has done proud for Japan as well as India.
A Japanese national of Indian origin, Rajib Shaw recently received the United Nations Sasakawa Disaster Reduction Award at the “Global Platform Conference” sponsored by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
Prof. Shaw was awarded the prize in the individual category at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction convened by the United Nations Office on May 25 for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) for his work championing multi-hazard community-based disaster risk reduction in six Asian countries, and his work has led to the establishment of village-level community-based working groups
The United Nations Sasakawa Disaster Prevention Award is one of the prestigious awards established in 1986 by Ryoichi Sasakawa, the first president of The Nippon Foundation, along with the Sasakawa Health Award of the World Health Organization and the Sasakawa Environmental Award of the United Nations Environment Program.
The United Nations Sasakawa Disaster Prevention Award is awarded to individuals or institutions that actively work to mitigate disaster risk in the region and advocate disaster risk mitigation.
The 2022 Sasakawa Award for Disaster Prevention recognizes its contribution to “building resilience through a multi-hazard approach,” and received a record number of more than 200 nominations from all regions of the world.
Professor Shaw has been engaged in education and research on disaster risk mitigation and adaptation to global warming for many years, and also chairs the Asia-Pacific Science and Technology Advisory Group (AP-STAG) and is the chairman of Japanese NGOs.
In his statement, Dr. Rajib Shaw’s said, “This award recognizes the wonderful work of my students and collaborators. Thank you for what you have learned and for the people in the area where I have been active. This award is dedicated to young scientists involved in disaster risk mitigation and youth groups working to mitigate disaster risk.”
Dr. Rajib Shaw, who is also director of India Japan Laboratory (IJL) set up by Keio University was visiting India in March when he led a delegation of senior officials of Indo-Japan Business Council (IJBC) to many universities in Pune for the future collaborations. IJBC facilitated these visits to various universities in Pune.
India-based Ms. Tomo Kawane, an expert on India-Japan relations, and senior researcher with Keio University, said in her statement that Japan should feel proud about having such a dedicated educationist who has done significant contribution internationally in the field of disaster management.
“His eyes are already set for future and he keeps working on many more initiatives. In my life, I have interacted with many Indians and those who are of Indian origins in the field of education. But I have never seen an academic like him in universities. What makes him outstanding is his innovative approach to keep his students engaged,” Kawane said in a SM post.
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Professor Shaw is unique not only in his prolific academic record but also in the manner he engages with students through his innovative yet grounded approach. With his topmost efficiency and practical approach coupled with tremendous management skills, the students always find him approachable and ready for discussion and consultation.
Prior to Keio University’s Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC), he was the Executive Director of the Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), a decade-long research program co-sponsored by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the International Social Science Council (ISSC), and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).
He is also the Senior Fellow of Institute of Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) Japan, and the Chairperson of SEEDS Asia and CWS Japan, two Japanese NGOs.
Previously, he served as a Professor in the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies of Kyoto University. His expertise includes community-based disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, urban risk management, and disaster and environmental education. Professor Shaw is the Chair of the United Nations Science Technology Advisory Group (STAG) for disaster risk reduction; and also the Co-chair of the Asia Science Technology Academic Advisory Group (ASTAAG).
Dr. Shaw is the editor of a book series on disaster risk reduction, published by Springer. Prof. Shaw has published more than 45 books and over 300 academic papers and book chapters.
[…] Dr. Rajib Shaw, Professor in Graduate School of Media and Governance in Keio University’s Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC), Tokyo who recently received the prestigious United Nations Sasakawa Disaster Reduction Award at the “Global Platform Conference” sponsored by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), would be one of the keys speakers in the inaugural session of the event. […]