Classroom Wars: Educating Sita

It바카라�s 10 pm and Atishi is in a strategy meeting at her one-room campaign office in Lakshmi Nagar. Sitting on the floor, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lea­der, preparing to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the East Delhi constituency, briefs volunteers. She is one of the three women in a room packed with men. AAP has been doing politics on the grassroots level from day one, she tells Outlook afterwards, and her electoral strategy will be the same: 바카라�Work on the ground, reach out to the people. Because we바카라�re in government, we now have to show our work. People do realise the fundamental transformation made in health and education.바카라�

Born to two Delhi University professors, Atishi studied history at St. Stephen바카라�s College, securing the top rank across the university when she graduated in 2001, before obtaining a Master바카라�s degree from Oxford University. She was involved in social activism for many years afterwards: 바카라�I had been living and working in a village in Madhya Pradesh from 2006 to 2012. But I realised things were not changing. This was when the India Against Corruption movement began. We saw a lot of new people out in the streets demanding change. That was exciting바카라�I felt this movement could be a force for good.바카라� As an advisor to the AAP government, she is now credited with transforming Delhi바카라�s public education.

Favourite politician? Arvind Kejriwal. Favourite woman politician? She needs to think about it. Role model? She laughs and names Harry Potter, for the 바카라�fight of good versus evil.바카라�

While fighting for ­women바카라�s empowerment, Atishi considers herself privileged. 바카라�The background I come from, the education, the opportunities I had, make me far more privileged than many other ­women.바카라� And she바카라�s aware of the challenges faced by women in politics: 바카라�Women, like any marginalised group, struggle to be properly represented in electoral politics; so, we want reservations for women in electoral politics.바카라� Women바카라�s safety is central to her manifesto. 바카라�In a city like Delhi, the safety and security of women is a burning question. It is almost as basic as education. If women can바카라�t travel without fear, they don바카라�t have equality of opportunity.바카라�