The one term for
Gurmehar Kaur would be a ‘work in progress’. The girl who lost her father (an army officer) at a very young age, was pushed to the centre stage of political debate, thanks to a video where she questioned the very nature of war, admits that she may not be very well-versed with the who’s who of the political power circles. She has even been called “naïve or idealistic” for her views but says she has the right to defend them. This power is accorded by
social media
. Terming it a “scary space” in the real sense, she still says that if more than 70k people are ready to listen to her opinion and what she has to say, “Why shouldn’t I say it?”
Out with her first book soon – memoirs that date back to the time she was 3 – Kaur has always wanted to tell stories, and not just her own but also her father’s, mother’s and grandmother’s. If you think 18 is young for a memoir, Kaur is unperturbed, as she has been battling ageism and sexism for a long time. “Being part of family with a woman at its head and with many strong women around where every decision was questioned prepares you for life,” she says. As for patronising ‘uncles and aunties’ she just says, “You just have to say what you want to say.”
Talking about the hate that she received, she is unfazed. “There was a lot of love too. I feel people are done with hateful conversations. There’s so much damage in hate – not just to the person it’s directed at but also to the person spewing it,” she says. While managing hate on social media is just about keeping a positive outlook, Kaur doesn’t think voicing your opinions on social media is “armchair activism.” “It (social media) has changed the whole scenario. It is right now the primary source of info and unbiased because anyone can put their opinion out there. Just like I did with my message of peace over war.”
Kaur, who admitted to not having all the answers and says, “I just wanted to put the thought out that if war is not the solution, then can peace be the solution?” She however didn’t anticipate the social media blitz that she’d unleash and for the longest time was distressed by it. “I was a scared college kid in the corner of my room.” When asked what made her take everyone head on, she recalls her tennis education and how her coach told her never to give up till it’s the end. That kept her going.
“What social media needs is better policing, stronger cyber laws and even platforms like Twitter and Facebook should get stricter with users. Also, free speech is not a free pass for defamation, harassment and bullying,” she says.
Written by: Anuj GuptaSales Special Microsites
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