Human rights advocate and lawyer Ranitha Gnanarajah has spent over a decade working at the intersection of justice and grief. Her work reflects both a legal and personal struggle, from families still searching for their disappeared loved ones to lands hiding mass graves beneath them. For Gnanarajah, the pursuit of justice has become an act of defiance against Sri Lankan state's refusal to reckon with the atrocities on the island, where the wounds of the past remain open.
In 2021, she received the prestigious International Women of Courage Award, coinciding with the International Women's Day during a virtual event conducted by the United States Secretary of State.
Speaking to the Tamil Guardian, she reflected with honesty and compassion on her journey, one that began within the lived struggles of her own people.