Kriti Bharti

Kriti Bharti (born August 19, 1987) is an Indian rehabilitation psychologist and children's rights activist. Bharti made headlines as the first annuller of child marriage in India. She is the founder and director of Saarthi Trust, a non-profit organization that primarily rescues and ensures the recovery and welfare of child marriage victims. Bharti's team has annulled more than 41 child marriages and prevented more than 1,400 from occurring.

As a child, Bharti was physically and verbally tortured by relatives who considered her cursed. One went to the extent of giving her a slow poison at 10 years old, and Bharti managed to survive but she was bedridden and paralyzed. She went through several treatments from different hospitals, until she was able to recover two years later, attributing her healing to reiki therapies.

Upon her recovery, she changed her last name to "Bharti" (Daughter of India) in an attempt to free herself from the caste system, religion and kin.

Due to the paralysis, Bharti was unable to finish fourth grade. She managed to accelerate to 10th grade as she cleared her boards.

Bharti obtained a Doctorate in Psychology at the Jai Narain Vyas University in Jodhpur.

A report of the UNICEF in 2009, titled State of the Worlds Children, goes on further to say that 40 percent of the world's child marriages happen in India. The report also stated that 56 percent of the women surveyed in rural areas married before 18 years old. The organization has a helpline for underage brides and grooms to report their case. As victims reach out, Bharti's team obtains proof of the marriage and then talks to the family of both the bride and bridegroom, and then to the elders of the community in an attempt to convince them. If it fails, Bharti's team seeks legal help and takes the case to the court.

Throughout years of activism, Bharti has faced countless death and rape threats. Since it was established in 2011, Bharti's team has annulled more than 44 child marriages and halted more than 1,400 from happening.