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Sunita Viswanath

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Sunita। Viswanath
NationalityAmerican
EducationRutgers University (BA)
SNDT Women's University (MA)

Sunita Viswanath is an Indian-American activist who has worked in women's and human rights organizations. She co-founded the human rights organizations Women for Afghan Women,[1] Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, and Hindus for Human Rights.[2][3]

Early life and education

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Viswanath was born in Chennai, India.[4] She moved between London and Chennai during her early age, and later moved to the US when she was 19.[5][6]

Viswanath received a BA in mathematics from Douglass College, Rutgers University and a MA in sociology from SNDT Women's University.[7]

Activism

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Women for Afghan Women

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In 2001, Viswanath co-founded the nonprofit humanitarian organization Women for Afghan Women (WAW).[8] In 2002, Viswanath edited the volume of essays, Women for Afghan Women: Shattering Myths and Claiming the Future.[9] Initially founded to support the Afghan community in Queens, WAW expanded in 2005 to support the rights and needs of women in Afghanistan.[8]

In 2011, Viswanath was awarded the Feminist Majority Foundation's Global Women's Rights Award for her work with WAW.[10]

Viswanath is no longer affiliated with WAW.[11][12]

Sadhana

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In 2011, Viswanath co-founded Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus to be a progressive Hindu movement aligned with social justice commitments to anti-casteism and anti-racism.[13] One of Sadhana's projects, Project Prithvi, aims to protect the environment by cleaning up a beach in Jamaica Bay, Queens.[6] In 2015, she was honored as a White House "Champion of Change" for her work with Sadhana.[14][15]

Hindus for Human Rights

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In 2019, Viswanath co-founded Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), a US-based advocacy organization that aims to promote religious pluralism in North America and South Asia.[16] In 2021, Viswanath wrote a piece with Raju Rajagopal in favor of the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference in the face of criticism.[17] In May 2021, Viswanath was a named defendant in a defamation case filed by the Hindu American Foundation, which was dismissed in 2022.[18][19]

Columbia University

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In 2020, Viswanath was named a Religious Life Adviser at Columbia University.[20] Despite a petition claiming she was "anti-Hindu" and asking her to be removed, the university continued to support Viswanath in her role.[21]

Other work

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In 2020, Viswanath was appointed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to serve on the Faith-Based Sector Advisory Council to advise on the city's COVID-19 response,[22] and in 2021 she was part of Mayor-elect Eric Adams' transition committee.[23]

In 2021, Viswanath was named by the Center for American Progress as one of 21 faith leaders to watch.[24]

Viswanath serves on the advisory boards of UnFreeze Afghanistan and Population Media Center.[25][26] In March 2022, Viswanath traveled to Afghanistan as part of a Women's Delegation for Peace and Education, which included Ruth Messinger, Medea Benjamin, Rev. Chloe Breyer, Daisy Khan and Masuda Sultan, to advocate for women's rights and to deliver humanitarian aid.[27][28][11]

In August 2022, Viswanath and Masuda Sultan co-founded Abaad: Afghan Women Forward, an NGO which works to provide humanitarian assistance and fund economic programs for women. Its first clients included those formerly served by WAW.[29]

Personal life

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Viswanath's first marriage was to writer Suketu Mehta.[30][31] Her second marriage was to Stephan Shaw, who is an active member of Jewish Voice for Peace.[32][33][34] She has three sons, Gautama, Akash, and Satya.[35][36][37]

References

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  1. ^ "Sunita viswanath". The White House. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  2. ^ Viswanath, Raju Rajagopal, Sunita. "Hindus for Human Rights | In support of the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference". www.thedp.com. Retrieved 2022-07-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Watch | 'Hindus for Human Rights Will Continue Lobbying US against India's Treatment of Muslims'". The Wire. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  4. ^ "Indian-American Sunita Viswanath to be honoured as 'Champions of Change'". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  5. ^ "Faith Leader Spotlight: Sunita Viswanath | ICNY". ICNY. 2014-11-18. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  6. ^ a b dash, sanchita (2015-08-02). "Leap of faith". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  7. ^ "WIMN | Staff and Board Members". Women in Media and News. Archived from the original on 2021-05-18. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  8. ^ a b "Women for Afghan Women co-founder: Afghans' stories need to be told - Geneva Solutions". genevasolutions.news. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  9. ^ "Women for Afghan Women: Shattering Myths and Claiming the Future | The Consortium on Gender, Security and Human Rights". genderandsecurity.org. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  10. ^ "Haitian Feminist Yolette Jeanty Honored With Other Global Women's Activists - Ms. Magazine". msmagazine.com. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  11. ^ a b SunitaV (2022-04-25). "Open Letter to Women for Afghan Women from co-founders Sunita Viswanath and Masuda Sultan". Medium. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
  12. ^ admin (2022-03-31). "Statement from Leadership of Women for Afghan Women on Events of March 30, 2022 - Women For Afghan Women". Retrieved 2022-07-26.
  13. ^ "Sunita Viswanath: A New Kind of Allyship with Black Lives Matter". crcc.usc.edu. 16 November 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  14. ^ "Champions of Change: People of Faith Acting on Climate". whitehouse.gov. 2015-07-22. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  15. ^ "White House honours Indian American woman as 'Champion of Change'". Hindustan Times. 2015-07-16. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  16. ^ "Sunita Viswanath: India's democracy is in grave danger; state repression of minorities, dissenters at all-time high". The American Bazaar. 2021-04-08. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  17. ^ Viswanath, Raju Rajagopal, Sunita. "Hindus for Human Rights | In support of the Dismantling Global Hindutva conference". www.thedp.com. Retrieved 2022-07-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ "Hindu American Foundation files defamation suit against Hindu rights nonprofit". Religion News Service. 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  19. ^ Kulkarni, Bhargavi (2022-12-21). "U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta Dismisses Hindu American Foundation's Defamation Lawsuit Against Five Defendants". American Kahani. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  20. ^ "Welcoming Our New RLA's | Religious Life". religiouslife.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  21. ^ indica (2020-09-11). "Columbia University backs adviser, petition claims she is 'anti-Hindu'". Indica news. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  22. ^ "Mayor de Blasio Appoints Members to Sector Advisory Councils". The official website of the City of New York. 2020-05-08. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  23. ^ Khurshid, Samar. "Mayor-Elect Adams Announces Hundreds of Transition Committee Members". Gotham Gazette. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  24. ^ "21 Faith Leaders To Watch in 2021". Center for American Progress. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  25. ^ "Advisory Board". UNFREEZE AFGHANISTAN. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  26. ^ "Staff & Boards". Population Media Center. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  27. ^ "How Can Feminists Stand in Real Solidarity with Afghan Women?". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  28. ^ "Delegation to Kabul". UNFREEZE AFGHANISTAN. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  29. ^ Ali, Rozina (August 24, 2022). "The Afghan Women Left Behind". The New Yorker.
  30. ^ Mehta, Suketu (2005). Maximum City: Bombay Lost And Found. Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0-375-70340-9.
  31. ^ "The Littlest Bhopalis". Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  32. ^ Mozumder, Suman Guha. "Multicultural love in the time of polarization". IndiaAbroad.com. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  33. ^ Staff, J. K. R. (2020-01-27). "Thousands stage anti-CAA protests across US, demand Trump administration to impose sanction against Amit Shah". Janta Ka Reporter 2.0. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  34. ^ Viswanath, Sunita (29 September 2019). "Hindus must stand against Hindutva: Why I protested against Narendra Modi in Houston and New York". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  35. ^ "Indian American Sunita Viswanath to be honoured for climate change efforts". The Hans India. 2015-07-17. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  36. ^ "Executive Board". Sadhana. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
  37. ^ "A Hindu Reflects on Passover". Tikkun. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
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