Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)
Mangaluru, Feb 4: Social activist, chief functionary and co-founder of Prajwala, a non-governmental organization that rescues, rehabilitates and reintegrates sex-trafficked victims into society, Dr Sunitha Krishnan who is an alumna of School of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya was on Thursday February 4 felicitated at the college premises for being awarded the Padma Shri.
Addressing the gathering Dr Krishnan said, "This campus made me, defined me, it moulded me. Practically Ido not think anybody in this campus knows that I come with a past. I come with a very transforming experience in the past. For many people it would be traumatic to hear that I was gang-raped at the age of 15. When I landed in this campus I do not think my teachers or anybody knew that. Much much later in life, they came to know about it, but not when I was here in this campus.
"It is so important to belong to this campus. it is here that my strategic understanding, my vision, my vision on social change was carried out. It is also a campus which gave me unconditional love, unconditional acceptance. When I left this campus I was ready to start my mission. There was a lot of inner transformation. All of my colleagues, all of us had some or the other idea, this was our nurturing place. I am what I am because of Roshni Nilaya and I salute Roshni Nilaya for making me what I am.
"In the last 20 years I have rescued over 15,600 girls from prostitution. There have been close to 17 attacks on my life. There have been unpleasant incidents where my colleague has been murdered in front of me, acid attacks, and I have been beaten up. All kinds of absolute traumatic events have happened. All my young friends here, I request you, you have only one life, it is really precious, so make it worth for yourself. I wish each one of you luck. For me this padmashree is an acknowledgement of the cause that I am fighting for. This is the voice of the marginalized. It comes to me at the time when I have taken government to court multiple times. Past one year has been really rough for the home ministry. I have really troubled the government in the past and continue to do so at present also. In this context acknowledging that I am doing the right work gives me strength," she said.
Dr Philomena D'Souza, director Roshni Nilaya and Rameela Shekar, dean, MSW Roshni Nilaya, shared their experiences with Dr Sunitha Krishnan while at the campus.
Sophia Fernandes, principal, Roshni Nilaya and others were present.