For 16 years, Irom Sharmila refused food and water in one of the world’s longest hunger strikes, demanding the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. Arrested repeatedly, force-fed through a nasal tube and kept in judicial custody for years, the ‘Iron Lady of Manipur’ became a global symbol of peaceful resistance and dissent. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s ongoing hunger strike has revived memories of Sharmila’s own ordeal. Mrinalini Dhyani speaks to Sharmila, reflecting on the government’s response to peaceful protests and the changing nature of democratic dissent. Edited excerpts.
