Kozhikode: Social activist and Padma Shri awardee Sunitha Krishnan was presented with the MP Veerendra Kumar Memorial National Thought Leadership Award instituted by Mathrubhumi in memory of the late thinker, socialist leader, writer and former Managing Director of Mathrubhumi, MP Veerendra Kumar.

The award was presented at a function held in Kozhikode on Thursday as part of the 6th death anniversary commemorations of Veerendra Kumar, remembered for his lifelong commitment to social justice, environmental causes and progressive public discourse.

Former Madras High Court judge Justice K. Chandru presented the award to Sunitha Krishnan in recognition of her selfless work for women and children without social support systems. The award carries a plaque, citation and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.

Former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh delivered the memorial lecture at the event.

Speaking at the event, Sunitha Krishnan highlighted what she described as the alarming ease with which children can be exploited in the digital age, saying technology often enables perpetrators to hide behind fake identities.

She cited a statistic from an international organisation claiming that 300 million children have been subjected to sexual exploitation, adding that this equates to a child being exploited every second globally.

To illustrate the scale and accessibility of such networks, she said she conducted her own investigation and, spending just ₹532, was able to access around 9,000 videos involving children within 15 minutes.

Calling for greater attention to the “demand side” of exploitation, she urged society not to remain silent simply because victims are not “their” children.

Sunitha Krishnan was selected for the honour by a jury comprising Justice KT Thomas, novelist Sarah Joseph and senior journalist Sashi Kumar.

Founder of Prajwala, an organisation working for the rehabilitation of victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, Sunitha Krishnan has helped thousands of women and children reintegrate into mainstream society through education, legal assistance and vocational training.

Born in Bengaluru to parents from Kerala’s Palakkad district, Sunitha Krishnan survived sexual assault during her teenage years. Overcoming the trauma, she dedicated her life to supporting survivors facing similar hardships and emerged as one of India’s leading voices against human trafficking and gender violence.

Mathrubhumi Chairman and Managing Editor PV Chandran presided over the function, while Managing Director MV Shreyams Kumar delivered the welcome address. Joint Managing Editor PV Nidhish welcomed the gathering, and Director (Digital Business) MS Mayura delivered the vote of thanks.