Sunitha Krishnan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sunitha Krishnan
Born	1972 (age 52–53) Bangalore, India
Alma mater	St. Joseph's College, Bangalore, Roshini Nilaya
Occupation	Founder of Prajwala, Hyderabad
Known for	Social activism
Spouse(s)	Rajesh Touchriver

Sunitha Krishnan (born in 1972) is an Indian social activist. She works hard to help people who have been victims of human trafficking. In 2016, she received the Padma Shri, which is one of India's highest awards for civilians.

Early Life and Helping Others

Sunitha Krishnan was born in Bangalore, India. Her parents were Raju and Nalini Krishnan. As a child, she traveled a lot with her father. He worked for the Department of Survey, which makes maps for the whole country. This helped her see many different parts of India.

Sunitha started helping others when she was very young. At eight years old, she taught dance to children with special needs. By the time she was twelve, she was running schools in poor areas for children who didn't have many opportunities.

She studied at Central Government Schools in Bangalore and Bhutan. Later, she earned a degree in environmental sciences from St. Joseph's College in Bangalore. She also completed a master's degree in social work from Roshni Nilaya in Mangalore.

Starting Prajwala and Her Work

Sunitha Krishnan moved to Hyderabad to work with a group called PIN. There, she helped people living in slums who were losing their homes. She organized protests and stopped the city from destroying their houses.

What is Prajwala?

In 1996, Sunitha started her own organization called Prajwala. It is based in Hyderabad, India. Prajwala's main goal is to stop human trafficking. This means stopping people from being forced into bad situations. Prajwala also helps rescue victims, helps them get better, and supports them in returning to society.

In the beginning, Sunitha had to sell her jewelry and even her household items to keep Prajwala going. Today, Prajwala is a very large organization. It works on five main things:

• Stopping trafficking from happening.
• Rescuing victims.
• Helping victims heal and recover.
• Helping victims rejoin their communities.
• Speaking up for victims and changing laws.

Prajwala gives victims moral, money, legal, and social support. It also makes sure that those who commit these crimes are caught and punished. So far, Prajwala has helped over 28,600 survivors. It is now the largest anti-trafficking shelter in the world.

Prajwala also has a safe home for rescued children and adults. Many of these survivors have HIV. Sunitha leads these efforts. She also started a program to help survivors learn new skills like carpentry, welding, printing, and housekeeping. This helps them find jobs and live independently.

Prajwala has more than 200 employees. But Sunitha Krishnan works as a full-time volunteer. She supports herself by writing books and giving speeches around the world. She is married to Rajesh Touchriver, a filmmaker. He has made several films with Prajwala. One film, Anamika, is used to teach at the National Police Academy. Another film, Naa Bangaaru Talli, won three national awards in 2014.

Working with Governments and Laws

Sunitha Krishnan has worked with the government of Kerala. In 2011, she was an advisor for their Nirbhaya policy. This plan helps women and children and fights trafficking. Sunitha wrote the first draft of this plan. It brings together different government groups and non-profit organizations to work together.

She also teaches students in the United States. She warns them about human trafficking and inspires them to become activists.

Fighting for Justice

Sunitha has been part of many rescue missions. She realized that social work alone is not enough. Strong government policies are also needed. So, she works with police departments, especially the Women Protection Cell.

She started the first Crises Counseling Centre at a police station. This was a test project to show how police and non-profit groups can work together to stop trafficking. She has helped the government of Andhra Pradesh fight this organized crime. Her work has led to over 150 traffickers being found guilty.

Sunitha also teaches police officers, judges, and child welfare workers. She helps them understand human trafficking better. This training helps them handle cases and support victims.

In 2015, Sunitha needed to move Prajwala's economic rehabilitation center. She asked for help from people online and raised over $225,000. This money helped her build a new emergency shelter for rescued victims.

Reaching Out to People

In 2009, Sunitha Krishnan gave a speech at a TED India conference. She talked about human trafficking. Over 2.5 million people around the world have watched her speech.

In 2012, she appeared on Aamir Khan’s TV show Satyamev Jayate. This helped Prajwala get a lot of money and connect with business owners who could offer jobs to survivors. She also appeared on another TV show, Open Heart with RK, reaching millions of viewers.

Making Films

Sunitha also uses filmmaking to spread her message. She has helped create and produce 14 documentary films. These films cover important social issues like youth and HIV/AIDS, and communal riots. Some of the films she helped make include:

• Mein Aur Meri Sanchaien
• Needalu: An Insider’s view into the World’s Largest Criminal Enterprise
• Anamika–The Nameless
• Naa Bangaaru Talli

The documentary Anamika—The Nameless won several awards in 2005. In 2013, she helped launch a feature film called Ente (in Malayalam) and Naa Bangaaru Talli (in Telugu). Naa Bangaru Talli won five international awards in 2013. It also won three awards at the 61st National Film Awards in New Delhi.

Research and Books

In 2002, Sunitha and Brother Jose Vetticatil wrote a report called The Shattered Innocence. This report showed how big the problem of human trafficking was between different states in India. It also described the people most at risk. This report led to discussions about how different groups could work together to solve the problem.

She has also published other books, including:

• Caregiver's Manual on ... Trafficking: A guide to creating a healing space to restore dignity for victims
• From Despair to Hope: A Handbook for HIV/AIDS Counselors

Challenges and Awards

Sunitha Krishnan has faced many dangers because of her work. She has been physically attacked 14 times and often receives death threats. She has survived attempts to harm her, including a car ramming her auto-rickshaw, acid being thrown at her, and a poisoning attempt. She says these attacks only make her more determined to fight human trafficking.

In 2012, a group attacked one of Prajwala's centers. A mob tried to harm the center and threatened Sunitha. They wrongly accused Prajwala of defaming Muslim women. Despite these threats, Sunitha continues her important work.

Awards and Honors

Sunitha Krishnan has received many awards for her bravery and dedication:

• Padma Shri in Social Work, 2016.
• Franco-German Award For Human Rights & Rule of law, 2016.
• Mother Teresa Awards for Social Justice, 2014.
• DVF Exemplary Woman Award, 2013.
• Outstanding Woman Award, National Commission for Women, 2013.
• John Jay College of Criminal Justice International Leadership Award, 2011.
• Human Rights Award from Vital Voices Global Partnership, 2011.
• Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Hero from US Department of State, 2009.
• CNN-IBN Real Hero Award, 2008.
• Stree Shakti Puraskar, Government of India, 2003.
• Ashoka Fellowship, 2002.

The Malayalam movie director Vineeth Sreenivasan was inspired by Sunitha Krishnan's life when he created the story for his movie Thira.

Images for kids

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  Sunitha Krishnan

See also

In Spanish: Sunitha Krishnan para niños