Washington DC: ATA hosts meet & greet with human rights activist Padma Shri Dr. Sunitha Krishnan

Washington DC: The American Telugu Association (ATA) organized a Meet and Greet event with Padma Shri Dr. Sunitha Krishnan, a globally recognized human rights activist and the Founding Chief Functionary of Prajwala, an organization devoted to eradicating sex trafficking and rehabilitating survivors.

Dr. Krishnan shared her remarkable journey and decades of dedicated service as a full-time volunteer committed to rescuing, rehabilitating, and reintegrating survivors of human trafficking. Addressing an audience of more than 50 attendees comprising primarily women and business leaders.

Dr. Krishnan provided deep insights into the current realities of child and women trafficking and her ongoing mission to combat it. Highlighting the magnitude of the issue, Dr. Krishnan explained that victims of sex trafficking range in age from as young as six months to forty years.

Through Prajwala’s tireless efforts, more than 32,000 victims have been rescued, with over 28,000 successfully reintegrated into society through meaningful employment and rehabilitation initiatives. There was a robust question-and-answer session on ways everyone can help with prevention, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts.

She also invited ATA members to visit Prajwala’s base camp in Hyderabad to witness firsthand the organization’s rehabilitation work and to meet the survivors whose lives have been transformed. Dr. Krishnan further elaborated on her collaborations with legislators, the judiciary, and law enforcement agencies to strengthen anti-trafficking policies and enhance victim support mechanisms.

Attendees had the opportunity to purchase her recently published memoir, “I Am What I Am,” which was awarded the Best International Book (Non-Fiction) at the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) just a week before the event. ATA President Jayanth Challa expressed sincere appreciation to Dr. Krishnan for her time and for sharing her invaluable insights on one of society’s most pressing issues.

The event was attended by ATA leadership, including Sudhir Damidi (Conference Director), Regional Coordinators Zeenath Kundoor, Partha Byreddy, and Krishna Chethireddy, Literary Chair, Venu Naksjatram, Seva Co-Chair, coordinator Ramesh Bheemreddy, and women advisors and members Lavanya Ravulapalli, Kavita Challa, and Avanthika Nakshatram.