Sunita Viswanath from Brooklyn will be honored in the White House for her efforts in protecting the environment and communities from the effects of climate change. She has been recognized as the “Champion of Change”.

This award is given to those who serve the community in a unique manner. Sunita is the only Indian so far who will be facilitated. She has been doing the social work strictly based on the Hindu values and beliefs.

She is well-known for her contribution to various women’s and human rights organizations. She is the co-founder and active board member of the 14-year old ‘Women for Afghan Women’ organization. She is also the co-founder and board member of ‘Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus’. This institution believes in social justice, and upholding the Hindu principles of ekatva (oneness), ahimsa (non-violence) and sadhana (faith in action).

She tells HuffPost, “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, what was fair. I imbibed profound lessons of love and justice from my religious upbringing, from the stories we were told, the prayers we learned, the texts we read. I went on as an adult to devote my life to advancing social justice causes, particularly women’s human rights. If Hinduism cares deeply about all people and all living beings, then there must be an active, vocal Hindu movement for social justice and human rights today.”

Married to an American, Sunita never detached herself from her birth-identity. Currently her organization is working on a project to clean up specific beaches in Jamaica Bay where Hindus worship and litter the place.

In the past, she was also the 2011 recipient of the “Feminist Majority Foundation’s Global Women’s Rights Award” for her work with WAW.