Priti Patkar is a highly regarded social worker and prominent human rights advocate hailing from India. She currently serves as the co-founder and director of Prerana, an organization renowned for its groundbreaking work in addressing critical issues within the red-light districts of Mumbai, India. Priti Patkar’s dedicated efforts are primarily centered on the protection of children who are vulnerable to falling prey to commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

With an extensive career spanning over three decades, Priti Patkar has been unwavering in her commitment to safeguarding the rights and rescuing victims, both children and women, from the clutches of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. She took the initiative to establish Prerana in 1986, a decision that followed a research visit during her pursuit of a Master’s degree in Social Work. It was during this visit to the Kamathipura Red Light Area that she witnessed the heartbreaking sight of three generations of women soliciting customers on the same street, which spurred her into action.

Priti Patkar’s legacy is marked by pioneering social interventions aimed at upholding the dignity and well-being of children and women who have fallen victim to human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Her record boasts the highest number of legal interventions and writ petitions in India, all geared towards safeguarding the rights and preserving the dignity of victims of child sexual exploitation and trafficking.