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Rimjhim Sinha (born c. 1995) is an Indian feminist, sociology researcher, and social activist based in Kolkata, West Bengal. She is best known for initiating the “Reclaim the Night” protest movement in response to the 2024 rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. Sinha is also an advocate for women's rights, menstrual health, and education access in urban slums.
Early life and education[edit | edit source]
Rimjhim Sinha was born and raised in Kolkata, West Bengal. She completed her schooling in the city and pursued sociology at Presidency University, Kolkata. During her college years, she actively participated in street theatre and gender sensitisation workshops. Her experiences in urban Kolkata and academic engagement with feminist theory led her to grassroots activism.
Activism and career[edit | edit source]
Reclaim the Night and the R.G. Kar movement[edit | edit source]
In August 2024, the rape and murder of a young woman doctor at R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital sparked widespread outrage in Kolkata. In response, Sinha launched the "Reclaim the Night" movement, which became a landmark in Bengal's civil protest history.[1]
Sinha called for a city-wide candlelight protest on the night of 14 August 2024, coinciding with the eve of Indian Independence Day. The slogan "Swadhinotar Modhyoraatey, Nari Swadhinotar Jonyo" ("At the midnight hour of Independence, for women's liberation") became the movement’s defining chant.[2]
Within a week, over 40 neighbourhoods participated in silent marches and torch rallies, drawing students, doctors, artists, homemakers, and working-class people.[3]
Key events during the movement included:
- A 42-km city-wide torch march.
- Sit-ins at college campuses and metro stations.
- A joint protest on 16 January 2025 involving doctors, women's organisations, and LGBTQ+ collectives demanding judicial action, workplace safety reforms, and institutional anti-harassment protocols.[4]
The movement’s apolitical stance faced resistance from multiple quarters. Reports emerged of retaliatory postings and demotions of protesting doctors.[5]
Despite the pushback, the campaign maintained public momentum, with over 1,200 progressive bookstalls and community pandals theming their Durga Puja installations around justice for the victim.[6]
By July 2025, anniversary marches were planned in over 25 locations across Bengal and included the victim’s family.[7]
Other activism[edit | edit source]
Rimjhim Sinha is the co-founder of the NGO Udaan Kolkata, which works in urban slums to provide education, menstrual hygiene awareness, and vocational training for women.[8]
Recognition[edit | edit source]
Sinha's work has been widely covered in national and regional media. She has received:
- Featured in The Week as one of "India’s 50 Women of Influence – 2024 Edition"[9]
- Recognition from UN Women India for leading feminist civil resistance[10]
Personal life[edit | edit source]
Rimjhim Sinha lives in South Kolkata. She continues her work in urban development, mentoring young activists, and writing on gender justice.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Reclaim the Night: How Rimjhim Sinha's outrage became a battle cry". The Telegraph India. 14 August 2024.
- ↑ "How Kolkata grew its spine over R.G. Kar rape and murder protests". The Hindu. 15 August 2024.
- ↑ "Kolkata protests become city's largest non-political mass movement". The Week. 17 August 2024.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "March in Kolkata to demand justice for RG Kar victim, safety of women at workplace". The Week. 16 January 2025. Archived from the original on 24 January 2025.
- ↑ "'Punishment' for seeking justice? RG Kar doctors allege 'witch-hunt' after getting unexpected postings in West Bengal". Economic Times. 21 March 2025.
- ↑ "Bengal: 'Justice for RG Kar' Theme Resonates in Over 1,200 Progressive Book Stalls During Puja Season". NewsClick. 8 October 2024.
- ↑ "Twin rallies on Aug 9 to mark 1 year of RG Kar rape-murder". Times of India. 15 July 2025.
- ↑ "Udaan Kolkata – About Us". Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ↑ "India's 50 Women of Influence". The Week. December 2024.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Rimjhim Sinha among UN Women India's 2024 Voices". UN Women India.[permanent dead link]