Irom Sharmila Chanu
Irom Sharmila Chanu | |
|---|---|
Irom Sharmila at a reception given by Solidarity Youth Movement to her in Kozhikode | |
| Born | 14 March 1972 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation(s) | Civil rights activist, political activist, poet |
| Known for | Hunger strike against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act |
| Spouse |
Desmond Anthony Bellarnine Coutinho
(m. 2017) |
| Children | Nix Shakhi and Autumn Tara |
| Parent(s) | Irom c Nanda (father) Irom Ongbi Sakhi (mother) |
| Awards | Gwangju Prize for Human Rights |
Irom Sharmila Chanu (born 14 March 1972), also known as the "Iron Lady of Manipur" or "Mengoubi" ("the fair one") is an Indian civil rights activist, political activist, and poet from the Indian state of Manipur, which is located on the north-eastern side of India. In November 2000, she began a hunger strike for abolishing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. After 16 years, she ended her fast in 2016, after being nasally force-fed for over 500 weeks in custody. Therefore, she has been viewed as the world's longest hunger striker. Amnesty International has declared her as a prisoner of conscience.