Description: (Indian Civil Rights Activist, Political Activist and Poet)
Irom Chanu Sharmila, known as the "Iron Lady of Manipur," is an Indian civil rights activist, political activist, and poet. She garnered global recognition for her 16-year hunger strike aimed at abolishing the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958. Throughout her protest, she endured nasal force-feeding for more than 500 weeks while in custody. Sharmila's commitment to nonviolent resistance and advocacy for human rights earned her the title of the world's longest hunger striker. Amnesty International has recognized her as a prisoner of conscience.