On April 15, 2016, FBI Director James B. Comey will present the Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) to Raio G. Krishnayya and 55 other recipients during a ceremony at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Krishnayya was nominated for this award by W. Jay Abbot, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Indianapolis FBI Field Office, on February 2, 2016, in recognition of his work as the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Victim and Human Rights (CVHR).

Krishnayya founded the CVHR in 2008 and continues his dedication today as the Executive Director. The CVHR is a legal services organization assisting victims of crime in Indianapolis, many of whom have experienced serious violence.

The DCLA was created in 1990 as a way to honor individuals and organizations for their efforts in combating crime, terrorism, drugs, and violence in America. Each year, the Special Agent-in-Charge (SAC) of each of the 56 field offices throughout the United States may nominate one individual or organization to receive the DCLA.

The timing of the award is of note, coming at the end of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.