Indian American gender-equality advocate and philanthropist Sharmila “Mona” Sinha has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, becoming only the second South Asian woman to receive the national honor.
Sinha, chief executive officer of the international nonprofit Equality Now, was inducted Sept. 24 at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York. The recognition honors more than four decades of leadership across women’s rights, philanthropy, advocacy and social enterprise.
She joined a 2026 class of 11 contemporary and historical inductees whose achievements have shaped American life. The group included Olympic champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee, former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, writer Audre Lorde, abolitionist Harriet Jacobs and intelligence officer Virginia Hall.
At Equality Now, Sinha leads international efforts to reform laws that discriminate against women and girls. The organization reported that its work helped secure 17 legal changes across nine countries in 2025, benefiting approximately 69 million women and girls. Since its founding in 1992, Equality Now has helped reform 140 discriminatory laws worldwide.
Sinha has also supported storytelling as a tool for social change. She served as an executive producer of the Academy Award-nominated documentary “To Kill a Tiger,” the Netflix documentary “Disclosure” and the Tony Award-nominated play “What the Constitution Means to Me.”
Born in Kolkata, Sinha has described learning about generosity from her mother, who regularly set aside rice for someone facing greater need. During her induction remarks, she connected that childhood lesson with the responsibility to share power and create opportunities for other women.
Beyond Equality Now, Sinha serves on the boards of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and Columbia University’s Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise. Her previous recognitions include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and selection for Forbes’ 50 Over 50: Impact list.
The National Women’s Hall of Fame selected its class from more than 400 nominations. Sinha now joins more than 300 inductees, including Harriet Tubman, Maya Angelou, Eleanor Roosevelt and Gloria Steinem.
Key Takeaways About Sharmila Mona Sinha
- She is CEO of Equality Now.
- She is the Hall’s second South Asian woman inductee.
- Her career spans more than four decades.
- She leads global efforts to reform discriminatory laws.
- She serves on two prominent museum and university boards.
