At just 25, Maithili Thakur is the youngest MLA in the country. That alone should have sparked celebrations among those who talk of women’s representation in politics. But instead, her rise has been met with silence, scepticism, and even criticism from many who normally champion female empowerment. Her critics say she lacks experience. But this same country has rejected K Annamalai, an honest IPS officer, and E Sreedharan, the “Metro Man". Credentials clearly aren’t the real issue. Politics also runs on the party wave; we all understand that. Either way, why isn’t the youngest MLA being celebrated?

Maithili’s success challenges the idea of what a “modern" woman should look like. She wears traditional saris, glass bangles, and a bindi. She sings bhajans instead of club songs. She wears her Bihari identity on her sleeve. She sings folk songs from different parts of India, especially in Maithili and Bhojpuri, at a time when both languages, particularly the latter, have been reduced to stereotypes through cheap cinema and vulgar songs. Unlike many who are forced to cultivate an edgy persona, use........

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