Sunita Vishwanath is an Indian-American activist who has been associated with several women’s and human rights organizations in the US for over three decades. She is the co-founder of the human rights organizations Women for Afghan Women, Sadhna: Coalition of Progressive Hindus and Hindus for Human Rights. Sunita came into limelight when Union Minister Smriti Irani flagged a picture of Rahul Gandhi with Sunita Vishwanath (from Gandhi’s meeting with think tanks in the US), raising concerns about their meeting because of Sunita’s alleged Has ties to George Soros.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Sunita Vishwanath was born in 1968 (age 55 years; as of 2023) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. A few years after her birth, her family relocated to London, UK, and in her early years, she frequently commuted between Chennai and London. At the age of 19, Sunita moved to the United States, where she enrolled at Douglas College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, US, to pursue a BA in Mathematics. Subsequently, she obtained her MA degree in Sociology from SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 5″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye colour: black
Family
He was born in a traditional South Indian Hindu family.
parents and siblings
There is not much information about her parents and siblings.
husband and children
Sunita Vishwanath has married twice. She is married to Stephen Shaw, who is Jewish and an active member of the organization Jewish Voice for Peace. This organization advocates the rights of Palestine. He speaks in favor of boycotting Israel, separating from it and imposing economic sanctions on it. They have three sons, Gautam, Akash and Satya. Sunita’s first marriage was to Suketu Mehta, a professor at New York University.
religion/religious views
Sunita Vishwanath follows Hindu religion. In an interview, Sunita revealed that growing up she was immersed in Hindu traditional customs and visited temples regularly. He said,
I have always been secure in my identity as a Hindu. Growing up, I thought a lot about faith and religion, but I also had a very strong sense of social justice – which made sense. I learned deep lessons about love and justice from my religious upbringing, from the stories we were told, the prayers we learned, and the texts we read. As an adult I dedicated my life to pursuing social justice – which was right.’
Despite being a Hindu, Sunita has given anti-Hindu statements on many occasions. In an interview, he expressed his concern over what is happening against minorities, Muslims and Christians in India. He has raised questions on people calling him anti-India. He said,
Whom India is accusing of being anti-India. Is this the India of Gandhi and Ambedkar or the India where only upper caste Hindus have rights?”
In one of her interviews, Sunita revealed that as a child she was a witness and participant in the practice of untouchability. As she grew up, this became a matter of extreme embarrassment for her. It was this formative experience that ultimately inspired her to become a human rights activist.
Caste
Although Sunita Vishwanath was born in an upper caste Hindu family in South India, she considers herself an anti-caste Hindu.
livelihood
sister fund
Sunita started working at Sister Fund, a private family foundation in the United States, when she was 20. There, her work enabled her to combine her two passions: faith and feminism. She worked in the organization for a few years and later resigned from her job to become a co-founder of the Women for Afghan Women (WAW) organization.
Women for Afghan Women (WAW)
In 2001, Sunita became co-founder of Women for Afghan Women (WAW), a grassroots civil society organization dedicated to promoting women’s human rights globally. A year later, Sunita served as editor of the book “Women for Afghan Women: Shattering Myths and Claiming the Future”, which included a collection of essays. The organization was initially founded to provide assistance to the Afghan community in Queens and later expanded its efforts in 2005 to advocate for women’s rights and welfare in Afghanistan. Sunita served as WAW’s board chairperson until January 2022 and later left the organization in protest against some of the allegations against her. In WAW, his work included periodic visits to Afghanistan every few years. However, she primarily handled fund-raising and advocacy work for the WAW in New York. WAW has expanded significantly since his co-founding in 2001.
Sunita Vishwanath advocating women’s rights during a program
meditation
In 2011, Sunita was instrumental in founding Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus, an organization aimed at inspiring Hindu Americans to integrate their faith with social justice and anti-racism and human rights principles. The organization’s motto is to live by faith by serving in the world. Project Prithvi is an important initiative under Sadhna, which is dedicated to environmental protection (Prithvi symbolizes Mother Earth in Hinduism).
Sunita Vishwanath during a show
Through Project Prithvi, Sadhana addresses the issue of a beach in Jamaica Bay, Queens, where Hindus worship but leave substantial piles of offerings. Sadhna has formally taken responsibility for this beach, organizing regular cleanup efforts. Additionally, the organization reaches out to Hindu temples to promote environmentally conscious practices during pujas. Sadhana has also featured in an art exhibition at the Queens Museum of Art. The exhibition displayed religious objects recovered from the beach cleanup, emphasizing the importance of this initiative. Sunita serves on the Executive Board of Sadhna and is actively contributing to its mission.
Swami Agnivesh, foreground left, at the Parliament of the World’s Religions, Toronto, with (clockwise) Sunita Vishwanath, Swami Vedananda, Gautam Reddy and Nikhil Mandlaparthi of Sadhana
Hindus for human rights
Sunita Vishwanath is the Executive Director of Hindus for Human Rights (HFHR), a civil society group based in the United States, which Sunita co-founded in 2019. According to some investigations, Hindu for Human Rights was promoting a misleading narrative. Of ‘Hindu vs Hindutva’. Additionally, it was found to be supporting the ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’ programme. Hindu groups strongly opposed the seminar on social media.
Sunita Vishwanath speaks about why it is important for Hindus to speak out against Hindu nationalism
Columbia University
In 2020, Vishwanath was appointed religious life advisor at Columbia University. Despite the petition being filed against her, the university stood by Sunita Vishwanath and continued to support her.
Other
Since its founding in September 2021, he has served as an advisory board member for Unfreeze Afghanistan. Sunita also holds a position as an advisory board member of the Population Media Centre, an organization that uses entertainment education and mass media to bring about social and cultural change. Additionally, she serves as a board member for the Dalit Solidarity Forum.
Sunita Vishwanath during a protest in America
In March 2022, Vishwanath joined a women’s delegation for peace and education along with Ruth Messinger, Medea Benjamin, Rev. Chloe Breyer, Daisy Khan and Masouda Sultan and traveled to Afghanistan. Their purpose was to advocate for women’s rights and provide humanitarian aid. In August 2022, Vishwanath and Masuda Sultan joined forces to establish Abad: Afghan Women Forward, a non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on providing humanitarian assistance and supporting economic initiatives for women . Abad’s initial beneficiaries included individuals previously served by Women for Afghan Women (WAW). He has collaborated with various organizations including the American Muslim Council (IAMC) in co-hosting several events.
controversies
Columbia University controversy
In 2020, Sunita became embroiled in controversy after being appointed as the Religious Life Advisor of Columbia University. A petition was filed by the Hindu Student Organization at Columbia to remove Sunita from the post, citing Vishwanath’s long history of divisive activism, support and open support of anti-Hindu bigotry and individuals.
Defamation case by Hindu American Foundation
In May 2021, The Hindu American Foundation, a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization, filed a lawsuit in the US District Court against representatives of Hindu, Muslim and Christian organizations in the US, including Sunita Vishwanath, alleging libel and defamation. However, the case was ultimately dismissed in 2022.
Awards and Honors
- Sunita Vishwanath was awarded the Feminist Majority Foundation’s Global Women’s Rights Award for her work with WAW in 2011.
- In 2015, she was one of 12 religious leaders to receive recognition as “Champions of Change” from President Obama at the White House for their efforts to protect the environment and communities from the impacts of climate change. Through sadhana he got respect for his work.
- In 2021, Sunita was acknowledged as one of 21 “Faith Leaders to Watch” by the Center for American Progress.
Facts/General Knowledge
- In 2020, Sunita Vishwanath faced restrictions and was barred from entering Ayodhya, due to which she had to return from Patranga, located on the border of Barabanki and Faizabad.
Police stopped Sunita Vishwanath while going to Ayodhya
- She often writes articles against the Bharatiya Janata Party. Apparently, in an article he had written that BJP is selling lies to the Hindus of the country that Hindu religion is in danger in a country with more than 80 percent Hindu population.
- After her marriage with Suketu Mehta, she came to be known as Sunita B Mehta.
- Sunita lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, children and parents.
- Sunita is one of five Hindus selected for NYC Mayor-elect Eric Adams’ Faith Transition Team. Additionally, he is the only Hindu included in the December 2021 Marquis Who’s Who list of influential figures in faith-based circles.
- BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya has highlighted the possible link between Jamaat-ISI and some organizations of the West. He specifically mentioned that Sunita Vishwanath’s organization ‘Women for Afghan Women’ is reportedly funded by Soros Open Society Foundations. Malviya further shared a visual representation showing Sunita Vishwanath’s involvement. Malviya also claimed that Sunita is acting as a representative of George Soros, who allegedly used a network involving opposition leaders, think tanks, journalists, lawyers and activists to interfere in India’s internal affairs. Had promised to give 1 billion dollars.
A graphic showing Sunita Vishwanath’s connections
- In June 2023, India’s Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani flagged off a photo (from one of his meetings with a think tank in the US) of Rahul Gandhi with Sunita Vishwanath and George Soros during a press conference in Delhi. Questions were raised on Rahul Gandhi’s meeting. -Gived funds to Sunita Vishwanath in America.
During a press conference in Delhi, Smriti Irani showed pictures of Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with a think tank in the US, in which he can be seen sitting with Sunita Vishwanath.
Sunita Vishwanath sitting next to Rahul Gandhi during a think tank session at Hudson University.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn