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Irom Sharmila: A peek into the life of the Iron Lady
A sketch of Irom Sharmila in her room at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital. In the custody of the Imphal police on charges of attempt to suicide, she has here spent most of her 5,757 days of hunger strike. Throughout she has been force-fed a rich diet through a nasal pipe. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
Updated on: Aug 14, 2016 7:15 PM IST
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A sketch of Irom Sharmila in her room at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital. In the custody of the Imphal police on charges of attempt to suicide, she has here spent most of her 5,757 days of hunger strike. Throughout she has been force-fed a rich diet through a nasal pipe. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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It was outside this hospital room that Sharmila ended her hunger strike on Tuesday afternoon with a lick of honey. Sharmila has been demanding that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur be repealed. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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In a letter shared with the media, she writes, “Beloved People! After having led an artificial life for 16 years in isolation in the fast unto repeal of AFSPA campaign for removal of the black law AFSPA from Manipur, and having no support of the people now, and in order to enable myself to go out among the people and apply a powerful demonstrative approach for participating in the general elections of 2017 as an independent candidate...” (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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Police personnel escort Sharmila after the hearing in the Cheirap court where she declared that she will end her fast. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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Her room is a witness to the 16 years she has spent here. Memorabilia, books and creeper plants are its major occupants. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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“I am preparing for the fight ahead; I will spend the rest of my life fighting. But if people abandon me or absolutely ignore me, I will go away, leave Manipur, maybe for love,” says Irom Sharmila. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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A former head of medicine at JNIMS said: “She usually cooperated but was tough to handle during one of her mood swings.” On those days, she would pull out the nasal tube and had to be put on intravenous glucose drip. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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In her room, one is welcomed with a feeble smile from Sharmila. The second smile that greets a person is that of Nelson Mandela from the cover of The Irish Times pasted on the wall behind the lady (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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“I got nothing out of fasting for 16 years. I want to contest election and become chief minister because I need power for a big change in society and system,” she said. A very emotive Sharmila broke down in front of the camera. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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An image of the wall which stares at Sharmila in her hospital bed. It talks of the 16 years that passed by. “Look at me, I am 44, there is no private Sharmila, there is only one Sharmila which you all know of.” (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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Treated as a God in Manipur, Sharmila longs to live as a mortal. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)
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