MANILA – Filipino historian Ambeth Ocampo has been named as the recipient of this year’s Fukuoka Academic Prize in recognition of his contributions to academia in Asia.

Joining him are A. R. Rahman, a composer, songwriter and singer from India, who won the Grand Prize; and architect Yasmeen Lari of Pakistan, who is the Arts and Culture Prize winner this year.

In a video posted on the YouTube page of the Fukuoka Prize, Ocampo said he is looking forward to receiving his award and meeting the people of Fukuoka in September.

“I’m very happy to receive the Fukuoka Academic Prize for 2016… The work of a historian is often long and very lonely, so receiving this recognition is validation of my work, and inspiration to do better,” he said.

The Fukuoka Prize, which started in 1990, aims to “promote and understand the distinctive cultures of Asia and to further peace,” according to its website.

Prior to Ocampo, other Filipino laureates of the Fukuoka Prize include filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik (Arts and Culture Prize, 2012), historian Reynaldo Ileto (Academic Prize, 2003), the late film director Marilou Diaz-Abaya (Arts and Culture Prize, 2001) and the late architect Leandro Locsin (Arts and Culture Prize, 1992).