Irom Chanu Sharmila – A Beautiful & Iron-willed Female!

Aug 12
NabanitaDhar

There seems to be an invisible wall between the Northeast and the rest of India. Yes, as much as we deny it, the barrier certainly exists. That is the only rational explanation for the ignorance of the rest of India about the seven sisters.
When it comes to women too the impression is alarmingly appalling. The typical idea seems to be that women from that part of India are nothing but bimbettes since they appear well dressed always. Narrow minded you say? I vehemently agree! Speaking from personal experience, my classmates in my engineering college in Uttar Pradesh were shocked when I passed out without a single back inspite of hailing from the north east.
I mention here about the women from north east for there is one among them who is worth applauding but more often than not forgotten just as the region she belongs to. Irom Chanu Sharmila – a civil rights activist.
The ‘Malom Massacre’ which happened over a decade ago altered her life forever. On November 2000 when 10 civilians were allegedly shot and killed by the Assam Rifles, Irom Chanu Sharmila began her fast in protest of the killings. It has been over 500 weeks since but she remains undeterred. Can you imagine doing something of the same scale for your fellow human beings?
I don’t know whether her way is right or wrong. I don’t even know whether in a country like India fasting is a solution since there is no value for life, especially of the common man. But what I do see in her is a strong-willed and selfless female. How else would her fast have lasted so long?
I don’t think I can ever do it. I need food, there’s no way I can spend a day without it let alone a decade. We all can’t, can we? And when I can afford it, I don’t think I can bring myself to fast for people I don’t even know. A few days perhaps but more than that I don’t think that is humanly possible for me. But she has been doing the exact same thing for a cause. Now if that doesn’t make her great and worth emulating then what does? If that doesn’t make her beautiful then what does? A couple of movies and awards? Certainly not!
Here’s a lady who deserves the attention of the country but she lives in oblivion. She is ignored for she is not worth being part of breaking news or water cooler discussions. But that too hasn’t stopped her. All I can say is, she is extraordinary. All we need to do is try being passionate about civil rights in our capacity too and add to her voice. No we don’t need to fast, just create a stir; for the voice of one person can be subdued but not of millions of us!
So let us become a tad bit lovelier as women! Let us all become true Women of Substance like Irom Chanu Sharmila!

 
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This post is part of ‘As Beautiful As Your Work’ Contest sponsored by Mia by Tanishq hosted by Women’s Web.

31 thoughts on “Irom Chanu Sharmila – A Beautiful & Iron-willed Female!”

  3. Nice post.. Thanks for throwing light on the life of this beautiful lady.. She is indeed a strong, determined and selfless lady.. As you rightly said in a country like India where there is no value for life, such people often go unnoticed.. But yes you and me can surely create a stir by raising voices against injustice and talking more and more about it.. Well written post.. Keep writing..!!

  7. Irom Sharmila's story is so tragic. It makes me feel angry that she is fighting for something so basic that the system is denying her. But hats off to her courage!

  12. I read your post and I also wish to ask the same questions that you put up! But I'm afraid I know the answer, an answer I don't really like 🙁

  13. She is actually the iron lady. Hats off to her. Unfortunately neither our media nor our people understood the importance of her struggle. These days media wants some masala, and people want chalta hai… what else we can expect then?

    Thanks for nice post.

  16. She wants the government of India to repeal the "Armed Forces Special Powers Act of 1958" – special powers in troubled areas. According to wiki "the Act has been at the heart of concerns about human rights violations in the regions of its enforcement , where arbitrary killings, torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and enforced disappearances have happened." So many issues here. Wish we understood the reasons for the Indian government's stance and Irom's stance.

  19. Its not like people from north east are sidelines in colleges in rest of India. Some of my best buddies were from the north east. We have celebrated 4 Bihus and Lohris together. I have never heard them complain of any kind of discrimination. But when I look at the national level, I think somehow the north east remains cut off from the rest of the country.

    Irom Chanu Sharmila is an inspiration for all who are aware of their rights and want to fight to get justice. In circumstances that makes people lose confidence in govt and resort to violent means, she's followed non-violent protest for over 10 years without losing of hope of getting justice. If the current generation doesn't realize it, I am sure future generations will talk of her in the same breadth as Mahatma Gandhi.

  20. Never knew this about her, Naba. And I am glad I read this post. Woman of will, indeed! Best wishes for the contest.

  22. Thanks … And yes you are right the media just wants masala, and doesn't want to reports things actually worth reporting!

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