Sunita Viswanath

Ms. Viswanath is a co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), a U.S.-wide human rights advocacy group that is committed to the ideals of multi-religious pluralism both in the United States and India, the country of her origin. HfHR is committed to opposing and challenging bigotry, exclusion, and discrimination, especially on the basis of religion. Ms. Viswanath’s Hindu values and beliefs inform her sense of justice and human rights. Finding that movements for justice were bereft of a Hindu voice, she co-founded Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus in 2011 to weld her human rights activism with her Hindu identity. Sadhana is now a leading platform advocating worldwide for social justice principles that are at the heart of Hinduism. She was honored by President Obama at the White House in 2015 as a “Champion of Change” for her work. Ms. Viswanath is also the co-founder of Women for Afghan Women (WAW), an organization started in 2001 and dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of Afghan women and girls. Sunita has edited Women for Afghan Women: Shattering Myths and Claiming the Future (Palgrave McMillan), a book of essays.