Bilkis Bano

Some Lesser Known Facts About Bilkis Bano

• Bilkis Bano, popularly known as Bilkis Dadi, is one of the most renowned faces of Shaheen Bagh protests held against CAA-NRC. She rose to fame on 23 September 2020, when the American Times Magazine named her among ‘The 100 Most Influential People of 2020’.

• Bilkis lives in Shaheen bagh with her daughters-in-law and grandchildren since her husband’s death in 2009.

• She was a part of a group of old women protesters that went on to be known as Shaheen Bagh Dadis (grandmothers of Shaheen Bagh).

  

• Bilkis Bano used to spend her entire day sitting at the Anti-CAA-NRC protests in Shaheen Bagh from 8 am till midnight. She took part in the protests till 24 March 2020, after which the Delhi Police vacated the Shaheen Bagh area in wake of the outbreak of COVID-19.

• Writing about Bilkis in Time Magazine, journalist Rana Ayyub wrote,
  

  Bilkis gave hope and strength to activists and student leaders who were being thrown behind bars for standing up for the unpopular truth in a democracy that was sliding into authoritarianism, and inspired peaceful copycat protests across the country.”

• Speaking to ANI after featuring in Time Magazine, Biklis said,
  

  I am very happy that I was honoured in this manner. Although I did not expect this.”