Kaurs of 1984 : The Untold, Unheard Stories of Sikh Women

More than three decades after Operation Blue Star of June 1984 and the anti-Sikh violence later that year, a young man is given the task of researching the violence. What he finds devastates him. Among the many oral testimonies, one crucial constituency has remained silent. Hundreds of Sikh women witnessed hell coming to life that year. These included women who were stranded inside the Golden Temple, who stood by their militant men, and those who were, at one time in their lives, militants themselves. They are rape survivors. They are among the murdered. They are the forgotten.

Sanam Sutirath Wazir’s research has taken him across north India to meet the women who lived to tell the tale, many of whom are still fighting invisible battles for justice. Based on interviews and extensive historical research, in The Kaurs of 1984, Wazir weaves together scattered stories of grief, betrayal and loss that finally brings Sikh women out of the shadows of contemporary Indian history.

The author

Sanam Sutirath Wazir, a committed advocate for human rightsfrom Jammu and Kashmir, is deeply engaged in documenting historical injustices and large-scale violence through oral history. He has successfully mobilized support from over half a million people across the world in advocating for justice for the victims of anti-Sikh massacres. His works, including ‘An Era ofInjustice for the 1984 Sikh Massacre’, ‘The 1984 Sikh Massacre as Witnessed by a 15-year-old’ and ‘The Continuing Injustice of the 1984 Sikh Massacre’, are published by Amnesty International, etc.

Reviews

‘The book is a personal passion project of the author as he maps its trajectory. One time, his mother encouraged the author when he was facing self-doubt about speaking on behalf of the women. he wondered if he could actually feel their pain.

“No, you can’t,” said my mother. “Believe me, no one can. But you can be their voice. You can be honest and take your readers through their journey. Finish your work for Amnesty and then tell me in detail about everything that happened to these women. I want to hear from you.” And she added, “If you want to write about them, your gender should be the last thing that stops you.”

The book, as a witness to history that will never be forgotten or forgiven, is an essential read.’ – Scroll India

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‘In the 40th year of this tragedy, the wounds are yet to heal. Wazir writes an incredibly human story, which started as an Amnesty International report, in honour of these unreported, unrecorded, and unresolved tragedies.’ – The Hindu

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‘Graphic, disturbing and searing’ – Urvashi Butalia