In the realm of Uttar Pradesh politics, the name Professor Roop Rekha Verma resonates as a symbol of resilience and unwavering commitment to the fight against discrimination, have a look at her biography
At the age of 79, Roop Rekha Verma has faced incarceration numerous times under Yogi Adityanath’s government, emerging as a tireless advocate for social justice. She also fought for Bilkis Bano who recently got justice in a gang ra*pe case.
Who is Professor Roop Rekha Verma, biography, age, family, father, husband, home town birth place and education
The women who fought for justice for #BilkisBanu.
Kudos to Revathi Laul, Subhashini Ali, Prof. Roop Rekha Verma, and Mahua Moitra for championing justice in the Bilkis Banu case by filing petitions against the release of 11 culprits.
More power to you! ✊🔥 pic.twitter.com/PTymsCC6R3
— أمينة Amina (@AminaaKausar) January 8, 2024
Roop Rekha Verma is the former acting vice chancellor of the Lucknow University, a professor of philosophy and a social activist.
For decades after her marriage she did not tell her family that she wrote, but later when she did, her husband encouraged her.
After she finished her MA in philosophy in 1963, she got a fellowship for research due to my good marks.
Born in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, Prof. Verma’s journey has been marked by her dedication to academia and social activism with her teaching for 39 years before retiring in 2005. Her father, a government physician, led to frequent relocations during her early years.
Pursuing higher education in Lucknow, she initially studied philosophy at Lucknow University, eventually earning her Ph.D. Prof. Verma went on to become a professor in the Department of Philosophy at the same university.
Roop Rekha Verma career
In the 1980s, during her tenure as the head of the Philosophy department, Prof. Roop Rekha Verma engaged in a battle against colleagues she claimed were affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
According to her, they sought to utilize the department to propagate the ideologies of the organization. This early stance showcased her willingness to confront and resist forces she perceived as undermining the principles of academic freedom and secularism.
Her activism expanded beyond the academic sphere when she actively supported Pooja Shukla, a candidate from the Samajwadi Party, in the recent state assembly elections. This move led to speculations about her affiliation with the Samajwadi Party, which she dismissed, emphasizing her support for Pooja as a former student dedicated to making positive changes.
Prof. Verma’s encounters with the law stem from her involvement in social causes, particularly her support for Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan. Despite the Supreme Court granting bail to Kappan in the UAPA case, he faced rejection of bail in another case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Expressing her concerns about the charges against Kappan, Prof. Verma highlighted the apparent escalation of legal actions, questioning the motives behind multiple charges being slapped on him. She, along with other petitioners, challenged the premature release of 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case, showcasing her commitment to justice.
As a social worker, Prof. Verma has intervened in numerous cases of violence against women and communal violence, advocating for the rights of the victims. Her endeavors earned her recognition, including the Begum Hazrat Mahal Award for communal harmony and a lifetime achievement award from the Indian Social Science Association in 2006.
In 2022, when no one was ready to stand surety for Siddique Kappan as a condition of his bail, an old woman stepped up and said, "it is a very small help in these dark times!"
Yesterday, she won her case in the Supreme Court in favour of #BilkisBano.
Roop Rekha Verma 👏 https://t.co/xRWHj5mjwN
— Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) January 10, 2024