Irom Sharmila is a Manipuri activist who began her 16 years of fasting in 2000, demanding repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the state. She is set to break her fast on 9 August 2016 and join politics to resume her fight.
Anna Hazare stood up against corruption and in support of rural development. Hazare started a hunger strike in April 2011 to pressurise the government to enact the anti-corruption law, the Lokpal Bill.
Batukeshwar Dutta was an Indian independence fighter who was arrested and imprisoned for life for exploding bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly in New Delhi along with Bhagat Singh. The duo started a historic hunger strike against ill treatment of political prisoners.
Legendary freedom fighter Bhagat Singh undertook a 116-day hunger strike demanding equal rights for European and Indian political prisoners.
Jatindra Nath Das was an Indian independence activist who participated in the non-cooperation movement. He was imprisoned in Lahore jail where he started a hunger strike fighting for equal rights of Indian political prisioners.
Medha Patkar who started the Narmada Bachao Andolan went on a 9-day hunger strike against the Golibar slum eviction in Mumbai where 140 acre of land were handed over to private builders.
Mohandas Gandhi went on a fast in 1932 to protest against the seperate political represenation for Dalits. He again went on hunger strike in 1943 as part of the Quit India Movement.
Potti Sreeramulu was an Indian revolutionary who worked for humanitarian causes and a follower of Gandhi. On October 1952, he undertook a hunger strike in support of a seperate Indian state for Telugu speaking population of the Madras Presidency. Three days after his death PM Jawarhalal Nehru announced the intention of forming Andhra Pradesh.