Although it mentions that he is the first Tamil scribe to meet with Irom Sharmila Xmas 2013 it doesn t point out that it was only after his intervention that the Government of Manipur ended the 9 year illegal isolation order Up till then anyone trying to meet with her had no idea of the process They would go via friends or local NGOs who filtered all visits or would just be told it was impossible Since his visit after the High Court was informed by the GoM that they were adopting hte Assam Prison Manual regulations for all prisoners the procedure to see Sharmila is as follows You apply in person to the SSP Imphal Central Jail and fill in a form stating your name address prisoner you wish to see and purpose of visit Then you pay a ten rupee admin fee and after a brief interview confirming what you are allowed to take with you and what you can not you are either granted a chit for a twenty minute interview or you are given written reasons for refusal If you press for written reasons this may change the official s mind Otherwise it may be recorded if at all that you changed your mind Visiting days are Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays for women prisoners in Manipur She is kept at the JNIMS security ward some distance away from the main prison Just that He did what the HRLN had claimed that they were trying to do since 2006 and he was assisted by their lawyers but it was on his request 7 years later and I do not believe they would have done so without his persistence I don t know how to sign things my name is Desmond Coutinho Irom Sharmila s fiancee