His Excellency Abd al Rahman (Gus Dur) Wahid, considered by many to be a national hero in Indonesia was posthumously named recipient of the Mahendradatta Award on 17 January 2010 for his work  and contributions toward protecting minorities in Indonesia. Wahid passed away at the age of 69, on 30 December 20009.

He had been identified as one of the 500 most influential Muslim leaders in the world in 2009 for his long-time presidency of the Nahdlatul Ulama social organization and other social and political endeavors. He is also widely acclaimed for his pluralistic approach to interreligous engagement.