Shambhavi Chaudhary may well be a subject for her own doctoral research— the intersection of caste and gender in Bihar politics. As the youngest candidate in the 2024 elections, the 25-year-old gets to pursue her “dream” of entering the Lok Sabha, something her father and grandfather failed to realise as they both had lost the parliamentary elections they fought. Shambhavi, who is contesting from the Samastipur constituency on the Lok Janshakti Party ticket for the National Democratic Alliance, attracted nationwide attention when Prime Minister Narendra Modi showered praise on her, calling her the “youngest dalit, woman candidate” in the country.
Shambhavi comes from a privileged background. Her father, Ashok Chaudhary, is a Janata Dal (United) leader and minister in the Nitish Kumar cabinet. Her grandfather Mahavir Chaudhary was a Congress minister in the state. She studied at Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi and Delhi School of Economics and is married to the son of a retired IPS officer, Kunal Kishore. Kishore was known for pushing for dalit priests in temples, although he was from an upper caste family. The story gets curiouser as Shambhavi’s main challenger is Sunny Hazari of the Congress, also a third generation politician. His father, Maheshwar Hazari, too, is from the JD(U) and serves as a minister in the Nitish Kumar government. And father and grandfather were in the Lok Sabha.
This story is from the May 26, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 26, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Too Much Sitting Can Accelerate Ageing
SITTING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS can harm the heart and accelerate ageing, even if you are young and get the minimum recommended amount of daily exercise, according to a US study published in the journal PLOS One.
Efficiency and innovation
As health care evolves, professionals must employ innovative methods to refine their skills
Level up
Only 30 per cent of needy patients are able to undergo transplant in India; we need more dedicated transplant centres
HOPE STEMS FROM A CELL
While stem cell therapies have shown success in treating blood disorders, orthopaedic ailments, autoimmune diseases and eye issues, there is hope that they can one day treat patients with heart disease, blindness, Parkinson's, HIV, diabetes and spinal cord injuries
Mind matters
Your mindset can limit or expand your physical ability
Cutting edge
Would you go under the knife if a robot was the one holding it? Or would you say, \"No way, I need a human touch\"? You might have to decide soon because a robot that can imitate skilled human surgeons is already here.
The smallest cut
Minimally invasive surgeries have a bright future, with virtual reality and 3D procedures offering greater precision and AI on the horizon
Signalling a revolution
Canadian scientist and entrepreneur Sachdev Sidhu is focused on bringing cutting-edge antibody engineering to his country of origin
Wellness on demand
Starting as a doctor-patient chat platform, Medibuddy has evolved to be India's largest on-demand, full-stack digital health care platform
HEARING AND VISION LOSS LINKED TO HEART DISEASE AND STROKE
A CHINESE STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL of the American Heart Association suggests that middle aged and older adults with sensory impairments, specifically hearing and vision loss, have an elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart attacks.