Mallika Dutt

Mallika Dutt leads Inter-Connected, a new initiative that uplifts the independent nature of self, community and planet to advance collective wellbeing.

She brings together the power of ancient wisdom and spiritual practices with contemporary technologies and storytelling.

Dutt is the founder of Breakthrough, a human rights organization dedicated to making violence against women unacceptable.

Dutt was born in Kolkata, India in 1962, and grew up in Kolkata and Mirzapur.

She received a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs at Mount Holyoke College.

Dutt also received a Masters in International Affairs and South Asian Studies from Columbia University in 1986, and graduated with a Juris Doctor from New York University Law School in 1989.

In 1989, Dutt co-founded SAKHI for South Asian Women, an organization providing community support to end violence against women of South Asian origin.

SAKHI creates a safe space for education and other support services, while also engaging a broader South Asian community against domestic violence.

From 1992-1994, Dutt worked as a director at the Norman Foundation, a New York-based organization supporting efforts of communities to determine their own economic, environmental and social well-being.

In 1994 -1996, Dutt served as the Associate Director of Rutgers University, Center for Women's Global Leadership.

In this role, Dutt directed the Center's contributions to UN World Conferences including Hearings and Tribunals at World Summit on Social Development, International Conference on Population and Development, and

World Conference on Women.

From 1996 to 2000, Dutt served as Program Officer for Human Rights at the Ford Foundation in New Delhi.

Dutt initiated the Foundation's work in police reform and forged partnerships among police, NGOs, and civil society groups.

Dutt has served on several boards and committees, including:

In 2000, Dutt founded Breakthrough with Mann ke Manjeeré, an album and music video on women's rights.

Launched as an experiment in using pop culture and media for social justice, Mann ke Manjeeré remained on the Indian pop charts for six weeks, going on to win the 2001 National Screen Award in India for Best Music Video.

Breakthrough produced various multimedia campaigns including social change video games, ICED and America 2049, that addressed immigrant rights in the United States.

Breakthrough's highly successful Bell Bajao (Ring the Bell) campaign, calling on men and boys to get engaged in the movement for women's equality, won the 2010: Silver Lion at Cannes International Advertising Film Festival.

Working from centers in India and the United States, Breakthrough's mission is to build a world in which violence against women is unacceptable and all beings can thrive.

In May 2012, Dutt received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Mount Holyoke College.

Dutt has twice been named one of Verve's Top 50 most influential women and has received multiple awards in recognition of her human rights activism, including the 2016 Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

Dutt is co-founder of Sakhi for South Asian Women, a women's rights organization.

Dutt served as Founder, President and CEO of Breakthrough until March 2017.