#Jaydip Chakrabarti
Defying the social taboo, she proudly appear in public fora as a crusader, as a hope and inspiration. She is truly a ‘Bijoyini’.
The Hiranmoy Chakraborty Memorial Foundation honored the ‘Bijoyini’ – Poppy Sinha, for her rock solid determination in the face of unfathomable challenges and struggles, at an event held at the Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhawan in Agartala on Thursday.
The event, titled ‘Byakti Manoshey Rabindranath,’ featured distinguished speakers including Retired Justice Shubashis Talapatra, former Chief Justice of Orissa High Court, Advocate General Siddhartha Shankar Dey, Jayanta Chattopadhyay, an eminent Bangladeshi actor and elocutionist, Shubh Prasad Nandy Majumdar, a renowned Bengali musician from Kolkata, and eminent elocutionists Smita Bhattacharya and Shubhrajit Bhattacharya. Each shared the profound impact of Rabindranath Tagore on their lives and the lives of many others.
Introducing Poppy Sinha, Shubhrajit Bhattacharya described her as a symbol of hope and resilience in the battle against HIV/AIDS. She is a resident of Kanchanpur under the North Tripura District and belongs to financially weak family.
She wanted to study. Her Bengali handwriting is exceptionally beautiful. But, married at a tender age of 18 against her will, Poppy’s life took a drastic turn when she discovered her husband was HIV positive soon after their marriage.
In her address to the dignitaries and the audience, a teary eyed Poppy recounted her harrowing journey. Despite facing violent opposition and physical assaults from her in-laws, who even obstructed her access to medication, Poppy fought tirelessly to secure medical treatment for herself and her husband. During this tumultuous period, she gave birth to a baby boy who till date is HIV Negative.
Leaving her hostile in-laws, Poppy built a successful beauty parlor, providing not only for herself but also creating job opportunities for three other girls.
Bhattacharya said, her resolve did not waver in the face of societal taboos and familial opposition. Today, Poppy stands as a staunch advocate for HIV awareness, offering moral support and serving as an ambassador for the Tripura State AIDS Control Society in a state where approximately 6,000 individuals, including many young boys and girls, are affected by HIV.
The Hiranmoy Chakraborty Memorial Foundation extended their moral support to Poppy, assuring her of their continued backing in her ongoing struggle. Audience saluted her indomitable spirit.
#Jaydip Chakrabarti may be contacted at [email protected]
(Tripura, Tripura News)
