Anita Nair named UNHCR's high profile supporter in India

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today announced the appointment of the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of nine novels and a short story collection Anita Nair as a UNHCR's high profile supporter, to help create trust, awareness, and advocate about the situation of refugees in India.

She has published six books for children, three original audiobooks, a collection of poems, and a collection of essays. Anita has also written two plays and the screenplay for the movie adaptation of her novel 'Lessons in Forgetting' which won the national award in 2013. Her books have been published in over 31 languages around the world. Among several honours and prizes are the following: Chosen as one of the '30 Power Women' in India by India Today Magazine in their roll call of honour. Honoured by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi for her contribution to Literature and Culture. Received the Central Sahitya Akademi prize for her total contribution to children's literature.

UNHCR’s Chief of Mission in India, Oscar Mundia, welcomed Anita Nair noting that UNHCR looked forward to embarking on this new and exciting collaboration to further the mission of the agency in India to protect and serve refugees. 

 "One of the basic human rights is to be able to call a place home. When that is snatched away and it happens in various parts of the world on a daily and routine basis, it is a moral outrage in a world where technology has made so much possible", Anita said, officially accepting her nomination "Honoured to be nominated as a high profile supporter of UNHCR in this moment when raising one's voice about the refugee crisis is more urgent than ever".

Prior to her appointment, Anita had been working closely with UNHCR for over a year to raise awareness about the forcibly displaced. In 2017, she adapted her acclaimed children’s book “Muezza and Baby Jaan” for refugee children around the world. She has also supported World Refugee Day, International Youth Day, and UNHCR's appeal for the support during COVID-19 pandemic.  

Anita joins an impressive list of other UNHCR high profile supporters that includes Alphonso Davies, Danny Ocean, MIKA, Maya Ghazal, and Stanley Tucci to name of a few. 

For more information on this topic, please contact:

• In Delhi, Kiri Atri, [email protected], +91 9560 461169