Mallika Dutt

Mallika Dutt is the Founder, President, and CEO of Breakthrough a global human rights organization that uses the power of media, popular culture, and community mobilization to inspire people to take bold action for dignity, equality, and justice. The mission of Breakthrough is to empower individuals and communities to stand for universal human rights by using multimedia that transforms hearts and minds.^[1] Breakthrough envisions a world where all individuals and communities live with dignity, equality, and justice. Dutt launched Breakthrough in 2000 with Mann ke Manjeere: An Album of Women's Dreams which won the 2001 National Screen Award in India for best music video.^[2] Dutt herself has also won a number of awards for her human rights work, including the 2010 Distinguished Service, Diversity & Progress Award from the South Asian Law Students Association of New York Law School.

Background and Education

Dutt was born in Kolkata, India on March 29, 1962 and grew up in Kolkata and Mirzapur. She graduated from NYU Law School in 1989, received a Masters in International Affairs and South Asian Studies from Columbia University in 1996, and an A.B. in International Affairs from Mt. Holyoke College in 1983.

Career

Prior to founding Breakthrough, Dutt served as Program Officer for Human Rights and Social Justice at the Ford Foundation’s New Delhi Office where she initiated the Foundation’s work in police reform and forged partnerships between police, NGOs, and civil society groups. During her time at the Ford Foundation, Dutt also developed initiatives and communication between Ford Foundation offices across the globe. Dutt also acted as the Associate Director of the Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University, and sought to gain recognition for women’s rights as human rights.

Mallika is a co-founder of Sakhi for South Asian Women and has served on several boards and committees, including the Human Rights Watch Women’s Rights Project and Asia Watch, The Sister Fund, Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, and the US NGO Coordinating Committee for the UN World Conference Against Racism. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and currently serves on Boards of WITNESS, the Open Society Institute US Programs, and Games for Change, and on the Rights Working Group Steering Committee.

Mallika began her career as an Associate at Debevoise & Plimpton.^[3]

Awards and Honors

• Distinguished Service, Diversity & Progress Award, South Asian Law Students Association of New York Law School, 2010
• Karmaveer Puraskar: National Award for Social Justice & Citizen Action, Indian Confederation of NGOs, 2009
• American Courage Award, Asian American Justice Center, 2009
• Trailblazer Award, South Asians in Media Marketing Association (SAMMA, 2008
• The Woman of Color, Woman of Courage Award, IUP Women’s Studies Program, 2008
• Award for Distinguished Service, New York University School of Law BLAPA Alumni Association, 2006
• Spirit of Asian America Award Asian American Federation of New York, 2003
• Phoenix Award, New York Asian Women’s Center, 2002
• National Citizen’s Award (India) for contribution to women and development, 2001
• South Asian Women’s Creative Collective (SAWCC) Annual Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to the South Asian Community, 2001
• Public Interest Law Foundation Alumni Award, NYU Law School, 1991

References

1. ^ http://www.breakthrough.tv Breakthrough: Bring Human Rights Home
2. ^ Breakthrough Annual Report 1999-2003 http://www.breakthrough.tv/about-us/publications/annual-reports
3. ^ http://mallikadutt.com/about

External links

• Official website
• Official biography
• Breaking through Barriers to Equality - Mount Holyoke College
• Alumna of the month - New York University
• SAJAforum on Dutt's ICED project
• U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs

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Name	Dutt, Mallika
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Date of birth	1962
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