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New Delhi: Neha Bora, the national president of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), has emerged as one of the prominent faces of India’s recent youth-led protests.
A 29-year-old PhD scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Bora has been active in student politics and has increasingly gained national attention through protests over examination irregularities, unemployment and education-related issues.
She previously studied at Delhi University and completed her master’s degree at Ambedkar University Delhi.
Bora came into the spotlight during the student protests at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where she joined education activist Sonam Wangchuk and other AISA leaders in a 23-day hunger strike.
The wider movement, led largely by young people and associated with the Cockroach Janta Party, initially focused on alleged examination irregularities and accountability.
She has argued that the participation of Left student organisations in the movement was a continuation of years of activism on education and democratic issues.
According to Bora, young people responded to messages about the possibility of social and political change.
Her public profile grew further after she participated in protests in Jharkhand, where an unidentified person allegedly threw ink at her during a demonstration by students and job seekers. She later remained active in protests across the country.
On October 2, Bora was among hundreds detained by Delhi Police during a protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
She was also in Kolkata this week, where she addressed a convention at Jadavpur University and criticised the BJP and RSS, while calling for continued student and democratic mobilisation.
Bora has said she intends to remain rooted in student politics and encourage more young people to take leadership roles on issues affecting students and ordinary citizens.