Malala Yousafzai, a 16-year old girl from Pakistan was declared the winner of European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for 2013.

The news came early Thursday, October 10, 2013. Malala won the award for her girl education campaigns and crusading against Taliban forces in Pakistan.

Precisely a year back, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman after her girl education campaign gained popularity.

In her blog for BBC Urdu, under pseudonym Gul Makai, Malala wrote about life under Taliban and how she and her friends were scared that their school would be closed down.

"This time round, the girls were not too excited about vacations because they knew if the Taliban implemented their edict, they would not be able to come to school again," wrote Malala in her blog titled 'I May Not go to School Again.'

 The brutal murder attempt on Malala caught international attention, especially amongst human right activists.

She was flown to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham for surgery.

Malala Yousafzai's story of struggle and survival spread across the globe Time magazine included her in its list of 100 Most Influential People in the World, released in April 2013.

Her book, 'I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban,' recounts her courageous tale and lofty aspirations. The book was released on Tuesday, October 8, 2013.

In July this year, the United Nations Organization declared Malala's birthday, July 12, as Malala Day.

In her speech to the United Nations Youth Assembly, Malala stressed on the importance and need of education, reiterating that 'books and pens are the most powerful weapons.'                

She emerged as the leading nominee for EU human right prize amongst powerful nominees that included Edward Snowden, the Swedish who exposed the NSA's surveillance activities.

She was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 2013.