Until yesterday, Rhiya Ahir was a Mumbai-based theatre actor, model, and entrepreneur. Today, she’s the woman in the photograph that has come to define the student protests. Captured by photographer Indra Joshi, the image of Ahir standing alone in front of a police van quickly spread across social media, with thousands sharing it alongside captions like “Icon”, “Hero” and “The kids are going to be alright”.
As more photographs and videos from different angles surfaced, the moment became one of the defining visuals of a nationwide movement sparked by protests in Delhi in support of education reformer Sonam Wangchuk and against exam paper leaks and police action on demonstrators. Ahir was on her way to the solidarity protest at Shivaji Park in Mumbai when she spotted a police van carrying detained protesters. Believing the detentions were unlawful, she stood in front of the vehicle until those inside were released. Overnight, a split-second act of defiance turned her into one of the most recognisable faces of the movement. Read our full story about Ahir, on The Nod.
