Gurmehar Kaur, the Jalandhar based girl who hit the headlines after raising her voice against the campus violence at Delhi University in February. The product of Delhi University, Gurmehar had set an extraordinary example by showing courage against the BJP backed student wing Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarathi Parishad.
Gurmehar Kaur has been referred to as a “Free-Speech Warrior” by the Time magazine and named as one of the Next Generation Leaders.
She had posted a photo of herself on social media holding a placard reading, “I am a student from Delhi University. I am not afraid of ABVP. I am not alone.”
Gurmehar Kaur says that the recognition has brought to her a more sense of responsibility. She is a daughter of an Army Captain who was martyred.
Talking about her success, she said, “I am feeling so proud of myself. This selection has given me a fresh life. At times, I have chosen to be just a normal college student, sit back, lead a simple life and not keep on raising my voice. But such recognitions make me stand again and give encouragement to do something again”
She further said, “This selection by Time is also giving me a feeling that people of my own country could not recognise me, which another country has done. I am so thankful to the people who have stood by me. My family, especially my mother, stood by me like a rock when all those hate messages were being bombarded at me.
She has been working for the peace between India and Pakistan. She posted her picture holding a placard reading, "Pak didn't kill my dad, war killed him."
Gurmehar, who has been currently writing a book ‘Small Acts of Freedom’, will be releasing it at Jaipur Literature Festival in January next year.
She is also a co-founder of Citizens for Public Leadership, which has prominent people on advisory board, including ex-minister Shashi Tharoor and famous news anchor Nidhi Razdan.
