Irom Chanu Sharmila - Wikipedia Irom Chanu Sharmila Irom Chanu Sharmila Irom Sharmila at a reception given by Solidarity Youth Movement to her in Kozhikode ( 1972 - 03 - 14 ) 14 March 1972 ( age 46 ) Kongpal, Imphal, Manipur, India Nationality Indian Occupation Civil rights activist, political activist, poet Known for Hunger strike against Armed Forces ( Special Powers ) Act Parent ( s ) Irom c Nanda ( father ) Irom Ongbi Sakhi ( mother ) Irom Chanu Sharmila ( born 14 March 1972 ), also known as the `` Iron Lady '' or `` Mengoubi '' ( `` the fair one '' ) is a civil rights activist, political activist, and poet from the Indian state of Manipur. On 5 November 2000, she began a hunger strike which she ended on 9 August 2016, after 16 years of fasting. Having refused food and water for more than 500 weeks, she has been called `` the world 's longest hunger striker ''. On International Women 's Day, 2014 she was voted the top woman icon of India by MSN Poll. In 2014 two parties asked her to stand in the national election, but she declined. She was then denied the right to vote as a person confined in jail can not vote according to law. On 19 August 2014 a court ordered her release from custody, subject to there being no other grounds for detention. She was re-arrested on 22 August 2014 on similar charges to those for which she was acquitted, and remanded in judicial custody for 15 days. Amnesty International has declared her as a prisoner of conscience. Contents 1 Background 2 The fast and responses 2.1 End of the fast 2.2 International attention 3 Subsequent work 4 Works based on her life 5 See also 6 Books 7 References 8 External links Background Sharmila grew up and lives in Manipur, one of the Seven Sister States in India 's northeast, which has suffered from an insurgency for decades ; from 2005 to 2015 about 5,500 people died from political violence. In 1958, the Indian government passed a law, the Armed Forces ( Special Powers ) Act, 1958 that applies to just the seven states and grants security forces the power to search properties without a warrant, and to arrest people, and to use deadly force if there is `` reasonable suspicion '' that a person is acting against the state ; a similar Act applies to Jammu & Kashmir. She was already involved in local peace movements with regard to human rights abuses in Manipur when, on 2 November 2000, in Malom, a town in the Imphal Valley of Manipur, ten civilians were shot and killed while waiting at a bus stop. The incident, known as the `` Malom Massacre '', was allegedly committed by the Assam Rifles, one of the Indian Paramilitary forces operating in the state. The victims included Leisangbam Ibetombi, a 62 - year - old woman, and 18 - year - old Sinam Chandramani, a 1988 National Bravery Award winner. The fast and responses Sharmila, who was 28 at the time of Malom Massacre, began to fast in protest. Her primary demand to the Indian government has been the repeal of the Armed Forces ( Special Powers ) Act ( AFSPA ). She began her fast in Malom on 5 November, and vowed not to eat, drink, comb her hair or look in a mirror until AFSPA was repealed. Three days after she began her strike, she was arrested by the police and charged with an `` attempt to commit suicide '', which was unlawful under the Indian Penal Code ( IPC ) at that time, and was later transferred to judicial custody. Her health deteriorated rapidly, and nasogastric intubation was forced on her from 21 November in order to keep her alive while under arrest. Sharmila has been regularly released and re-arrested every year since her hunger strike began. By 2004, Sharmila had become an `` icon of public resistance. '' Following her procedural release on 2 October 2006 Sharmila went to Raj Ghat, New Delhi, which she said was `` to pay floral tribute to my ideal, Mahatma Gandhi. '' Later that evening, Sharmila headed for Jantar Mantar for a protest demonstration where she was joined by students, human rights activists and other concerned citizens. 30 women protested naked in support of Sharmila in front of the Assam Rifles headquarters. They held a banner saying `` Indian Army rape us '' and all of them were imprisoned for three months. On 6 October, she was re-arrested by the Delhi police for attempting suicide and was taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, where she wrote letters to the Prime Minister, the President, and the Home Minister. At this time, she met and won the support of Nobel - laureate Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Laureate and human rights activist, who promised to take up Sharmila 's cause at the United Nations Human Rights Council. In 2011, she invited anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare to visit Manipur, and Hazare sent two representatives to meet with her. In October 2011, the Manipur Pradesh All India Trinamool Congress announced their support for Sharmila and called on party chief Mamata Banerjee to help repeal the AFSPA. The Communist Party of India ( Marxist -- Leninist ) ( CPI ML ) also stated its support for her and for repeal of AFSPA, calling for nationwide agitation. In November, at the end of the eleventh year of her fast, Sharmila again called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to repeal the law. On 3 November 100 women formed a human chain in Ambari to show support for Sharmila, while other civil society groups staged a 24 - hour fast in a show of solidarity. In 2011 the Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign ( SSSC ) was launched to highlight Sharmila 's struggle and in December 2011, Pune University announced a scholarship program for 39 female Manipuri students to take degree courses in honour of Irom Sharmila Chanu 's 39 years of age. She has only met her mother once since the start of the fast as seeing her mother 's anguish may break her resolve. She said `` The day AFSPA is repealed I will eat rice from my mother 's hand. '' On 28 March 2016, she was released from judicial custody as charges against her was rejected by a local court in Imphal. Sharmila kept her vow of neither entering her house nor meeting her mother till the government repeals AFSPA and went to continue her fast at Shahid Minar, Imphal on the same day of her release. She was again arrested by the police under the same charge of attempt to commit suicide by means of indefinite fast. End of the fast On 26 July 2016, Irom Sharmila, who had been on a hunger strike since 2000, announced that she would end her fast on 9 August 2016. She also announced that she would contest state elections in Manipur. The objective of her fast and entering politics is to fight for the removal of AFSPA as she has asserted `` I will join politics and my fight will continue. '' International attention Sharmila was awarded the 2007 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, which is given to `` an outstanding person or group, active in the promotion and advocacy of Peace, Democracy and Human Rights ''. She shared the award with Lenin Raghuvanshi of People 's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights, a northeastern Indian human rights organisation. In 2009, she was awarded the first Mayillama Award of the Mayilamma Foundation `` for achievement of her nonviolent struggle in Manipur ''. In 2010, she won a lifetime achievement award from the Asian Human Rights Commission. Later that year, she won the Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize of the Indian Institute of Planning and Management, which came with a cash award of 5,100,000 rupees, and the Sarva Gunah Sampannah `` Award for Peace and Harmony '' from the Signature Training Centre. In 2013 Amnesty International declared her a Prisoner of conscience, and said she `` is being held solely for a peaceful expression of her beliefs. '' The influence made by Irom Sharmila is often considered as powerful as the influences by personalities in the past and present. Subsequent work In October 2016, she launched a political party named Peoples ' Resurgence and Justice Alliance to contest two Assembly constituencies of Khurai and Khangabok. Khangabok is the home constituency of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. In the 2017 elections, the winner in Thoubal, Ibobi Singh, received 18,649 and Sharmilla received 90 votes ; the fewest of the five candidates. Works based on her life Deepti Priya Mehrotra 's Burning Bright : Irom Sharmila and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur details Sharmila 's life and the political background of her fast. IronIrom : Two Journeys : Where the Abnormal is Normal ( 2012, with Minnie Vaid and Tayenjam Bijoykumar Singh ) Ojas SV, a theater artist from Pune, performed a mono - play titled Le Mashale ( `` Take the Torch '' ), based on Irom Sharmila 's life and struggle. It is an adaptation of Meira Paibi ( Women bearing torches ), a drama written by Malayalam playwright Civic Chandran. The play was performed at several venues in several Indian states. See also Indian general election, 2014 ( Manipur ) Insurgency in Manipur Armed Forces ( Special Powers ) Act Books Fragrance of Peace ( 2010 ) IronIrom : Two Journeys : Where the abnormal is normal. References Jump up ^ Mehrotra, Deepti Priya ( 2012 ). `` The Making of an Activist ''. Burning Bright : Irom Sharmila and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur. Penguin Books India. ISBN 9788184751536. Jump up ^ `` Iron Lady of Manipur ''. Divya Bhaskar. 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2016. Jump up ^ Chatterjee, Rituparna ( 20 April 2011 ). `` Spot the Difference : Hazare vs. Irom Sharmila ''. Sinlung. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011. ^ Jump up to : Bagchi, Suvojit ( 19 September 2006 ). `` Manipur woman 's marathon fast ''. BBC News, Manipur. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013. ^ Jump up to : Buncombe, Andrew ( 4 November 2010 ). `` A decade of starvation for Irom Sharmila ''. The Independent. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2011. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila is top woman icon : MSN poll ''. MSN. 11 March 2014. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila voted MSN poll 's Top Woman Icon in India ''. Seven Sisters Project. 20 March 2014. Archived from the original on 21 March 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila not allowed to vote in Manipur ''. Zee News. 17 April 2014. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila Chanu 's moral support to AAP ''. The Times Of India. 14 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila not allowed to vote in Manipur EC official says Under Section 62 ( 5 ) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a person confined in jail can not vote ''. Business Standard. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Irom Chanu Sharmila charged with attempted suicide, sent to judicial custody again ''. The Times of India. 22 August 2014. Archived from the original on 23 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014. ^ Jump up to : Krishna Pokharel for the Wall Street Journal. 7 January 2015. Indian Activist Presses 14 - Year Hunger Strike to Protest Abuses ; Court Postpones Decision Whether Irom Sharmila Chanu Should Be Charged Again Archived 24 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine. ^ Jump up to : Shoma Chaudhury ( 5 December 2009 ). `` Irom And The Iron In India 's Soul ''. Tehelka. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2011. Jump up ^ Anjuman Ara Begum ( 3 November 2010 ). `` AFSPA and Unsolved massacres in Manipur ''. Twocircles. Archived from the original on 11 January 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2012. Jump up ^ Imphal Free Press ( 2 November 2013 ). `` Malom Massacre horror relived 13 years later ''. Imphal Free Press. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013. ^ Jump up to : Nilanjana S. Roy ( 8 February 2011 ). `` Torchbearers for Victims in a Violent Land ''. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2011. Jump up ^ Rahul Pathak ( 6 August 2004 ). `` Why Malom is a big reason for Manipur anger against Army Act ''. The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Manipur Fasting Woman Re-arrested ''. BBC News. 9 March 2009. Archived from the original on 12 April 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011. ^ Jump up to : Mehrotra, Deepti Priya ( 2009 ). Burning bright : Irom Sharmila and the struggle for peace in Manipur ( 2009 ed. ). New Delhi : Penguin Books India. ISBN 9780143103691. Jump up ^ Hanjabam, Shukhdeba Sharma ( 17 January 2008 ). `` The Meitei upsurge in Manipur ''. Asia Europe Journal. 6 ( 1 ) : 157 -- 169. Jump up ^ Vidya Subramaniam ( 28 August 2011 ). `` Irom Sharmila urges Anna to visit Manipur ''. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Highlights of Anna Hazare 's interview to NDTV ''. NDTV. 13 September 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Mamata 's help sought for raising voice against AFSPA ''. The Times of India. 17 October 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` CPI ( ML ) to show solidarity to Sharmila with nation - wide agitation ''. Imphal Free Press via Kanglaonline. 29 September 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` PM should realize I am struggling for people : Irom ''. The Times of India. Times News Network. 4 November 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Civil society groups in state back Irom 's cause ''. The Times of India. Times News Network. 3 November 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Jump up ^ Staff, The Hindu. Updated 3 October 2011 Archived 8 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Scholarship for Manipuri girl students in Sharmila 's honour ''. The Times of India. 10 December 2011. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` A Life - Affirming Fast ''. Economic & Political Weekly. 23 March 2013. Jump up ^ Sarkar, S. ( 18 January 2013 ). `` The Iron Lady of Manipur ''. Indian Journal of Gender Studies. 20 ( 1 ) : 147 -- 151. doi : 10.1177 / 0971521512465965. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila Released : Latest News, Photos, Videos on Irom Sharmila Released - NDTV.COM ''. NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila re-arrested after resuming hunger strike over Afspa repeal ''. http://Hindustan Times /. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016. Jump up ^ http://www.newindianexpress.com Archived 24 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila : India activist to end fast after 16 years ''. BBC. Archived from the original on 29 July 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Gwangju Prize for Human Rights ''. 18 May Memorial Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2011. Jump up ^ Sobhapati Samom ( 1 March 2010 ). `` Kerala activists promise support to Irom Sharmila ''. Assam Tribune. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Human rights defender awarded for lifetime achievement ''. Asian Human Rights Commission. 29 January 2010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila awarded Rabindranath Tagore peace award ''. dnaindia.com. 12 September 2010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Sharmila Conferred Peace Award ''. manipuronline.com. 27 December 2010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2012. Jump up ^ Manash Pratim Gohai ( 2 October 2013 ). `` Irom Sharmila Chanu must be immediately released, Amnesty India says ''. Times Of India. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013. Jump up ^ `` Moving on leaving a mark ''. The Talking Stream. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Assam Tribune Online ''. www.assamtribune.com. 18 October 2016. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Jump up ^ TNN & Agencies ( 18 October 2016 ). `` Irom Sharmila 's new party : People 's Resurgence Justice Alliance ''. The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila launches People 's Resurgence Justice Alliance, to contest Manipur polls ''. The Indian Express. 18 October 2016. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila Floats People 's Resurgence and Justice Alliance Party in Manipur ''. News18. 18 October 2016. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Jump up ^ IANS. `` Irom Sharmila secures just 90 votes, loses to Manipur CM in Thoubal ''. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017. Jump up ^ `` Irom Sharmila suffers defeat, gets only 90 votes ''. Times of India. 11 March 2017. Archived from the original on 17 August 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017. Jump up ^ Laxmi Murthy ( December 2009 ). `` Reluctant heroine : ' Burning Bright ' by Deepti Priya Mehrotra ''. Himal South Asian. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. Jump up ^ T. Saravanan ( 11 February 2011 ). `` For a noble cause ''. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. Jump up ^ Shalini Umachandran ( 12 February 2011 ). `` Single act that captures a dozen wounds of Manipur ''. The Times of India. Times News Network. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Irom Chanu Sharmila. Analysis of Sharmila 's poetry Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign Amnesty International USA 's campaign page GND : 142365122 ISNI : 0000 0001 1458 7285 LCCN : n2009215703 VIAF : 165123225 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Irom_Chanu_Sharmila&oldid=827975361 '' Categories : 1972 births Indian activist journalists Indian civil rights activists Indian women activists Living people Meitei people Nonviolence advocates Political repression in India Writers from Northeast India Hunger strikes People from Imphal Indian women journalists 21st - century Indian journalists Indian prisoners and detainees Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by India Women writers from Manipur Activists from Manipur Journalists from Manipur 21st - century Indian women writers 21st - century Indian poets Poets from Manipur Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Use Indian English from April 2014 All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English Use dmy dates from October 2012 Pages using infobox person with unknown parameters Infobox person using ethnicity Articles with hCards Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia অসমীয়া বাংলা Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Deutsch فارسی Français Հայերեն हिन्दी Bahasa Indonesia עברית ಕನ್ನಡ मैथिली മലയാളം मराठी Norsk ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Русский Svenska தமிழ் 中文 13 more Edit links This page was last edited on 27 February 2018, at 20 : 57 ( UTC ). 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Question: who is known as iron lady of india
Answer: Irom Chanu Sharmila