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Irom Sharmila Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth14 March 1972

Age51 Years

BirthplaceKongpal, Imphal, Manipur, India

ProfessionSocial & Political Activist, Poet

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseDesmond Coutinho

FamilyParents: Late Irom Nanda Singh and Irom Shakhi; Siblings include elder brother Singhajit

Net worthRs. 2.6 Lakh (as in 2017)

Irom Sharmila Biography

Irom Chanu Sharmila is an Indian activist and poet best known for a 16-year hunger strike protesting the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in Manipur. Born

Early life and background

Irom Chanu Sharmila was born on 14 March 1972 in Kongpal, Imphal, in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. She comes from a Meitei family and was raised in Imphal. Her father, Irom Nanda Singh, worked as a Grade IV employee at a veterinary hospital and died in 1989. Sharmila completed her High School Leaving Certificate from the Board of Education Manipur in 1991. She has been described with nicknames such as the Iron Lady of Manipur and Mengoubi.

Career

Sharmila emerged into the national and international spotlight as a social and political activist and poet. She began a hunger strike on 2 November 2000 in response to an incident in which civilians were killed in Imphal; she maintained that fast for more than sixteen years before ending it on 9 August 2016. During much of that period she was detained and held in a hospital in Imphal, where she was provided nutrition and medicines under custody. Her prolonged protest was directed at the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Manipur and became a defining element of her public life.

Following the end of her fast, Sharmila announced a shift toward formal politics. In October 2016 she launched a political party named People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA). In 2017 she contested the Manipur State Assembly election from the Thoubal constituency against the then Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh. She received a small number of votes in that contest and did not win the seat.

Alongside her activism, Sharmila has written poetry and engaged with social organisations. Earlier in her life she undertook a journalism course and worked with groups such as a school for blind children and the Universal Youth Development Council. In the early 1990s she also attended a course in nature cure and yoga.

Public profile

Sharmila’s hunger strike brought sustained attention to human rights and civil liberties issues in Manipur. She has been described as one of the world’s longest hunger strikers and has received multiple human rights awards. In 2014 she was voted a prominent woman icon in an online poll conducted by MSN. Support networks and campaigns in her name were formed during her years of protest, including a Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign launched in 2011.

Her personal discipline during the fast shaped how she related to family. She limited visits from relatives while on hunger strike, and her elder brother Singhajit left his job to help care for her. Sharmila has cited figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela among those who inspired her. She is an avid reader who has donated books to the Imphal Public Library over many years.

Personal life

Sharmila married Desmond Coutinho, a British citizen, on 17 August 2017 under the Special Marriage Act. The couple live in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. On 12 May 2019 she gave birth to twin daughters. Sharmila lists yoga, reading, and writing poems among her interests.

Latest updates

After ending her hunger strike in August 2016, Sharmila’s activities included founding a political organisation and contesting an assembly election in 2017. Her public life continues to be shaped by the legacy of her protest against AFSPA and by her advocacy for human rights in Manipur.
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Recent Work

People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA)

Founded a regional political party and led a transition from long-term protest to electoral politics; contested the 2017 Manipur Assembly election from Thoubal constituency.

2016-2017
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Career Highlights

  1. Led a 16-year hunger strike protesting the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Manipur (2000–2016).
  2. Founded the People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) in October 2016.
  3. Contested the 2017 Manipur State Assembly election from Thoubal constituency.
  4. Received multiple human rights awards and recognition, including being named a top woman icon in an online poll in 2014.
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Net Worth

Rs. 2.6 Lakh (as in 2017)

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Irom Sharmila born?

14 March 1972

What is Irom Sharmila known for?

Social & Political Activist, Poet

What is Irom Sharmila’s marital status?

Married

Who is Irom Sharmila married to?

Desmond Coutinho

What is Irom Sharmila’s net worth?

Rs. 2.6 Lakh (as in 2017)