Sunitha Krishnan is an Indian social activist and chief functionary and co-founder of Prajwala, a non-governmental organization that rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates sex-trafficked victims into society. She was born in 1972 in Bangalore, India. Krishnan studied in Central Government Schools in Bangalore and Bhutan. After obtaining a bachelor's degree in environmental sciences from St. Joseph’s College in Bangalore, Krishnan completed her MSW (medical & psychiatric) from Roshni Nilaya, Mangalore and later her PhD in social work. Ms. Krishnan works in the areas of anti-human trafficking, psychiatric rehabilitation and social policy. She has worked relentlessly to bring about a change in the attitude of India’s government for victim-friendly policies as well as awareness regarding sex trafficking, through political, legal and media advocacy. Her organization, Prajwala, has an international reputation and Ms. Krishnan is regularly consulted, in addition to the Indian authorities, by the United Nations and the US government. She is making it possible for India's government and citizen’s organizations to manage jointly a range of protective and rehabilitative services for women and children who have been trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation. She was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri in 2016.