'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila ties the knot with long-time British friend

Human rights activist Irom Sharmila tied the knot with her long-time friend Desmond Coutinho, a British national with roots in Goa, in a low-key ceremony at the sub-registrar office in Kodaikanal, a hill station in southern Tamil Nadu.

The 45-year-old bride from Manipur was dressed in a traditional pink and black stripped phanek with a white top and a cream colour shawl draped around her head. The groom, Desmond, was dressed in a pink kurta and white pants. Documentary filmmaker and CPI (ML) activist Divya Bharathi accompanied Sharmila as she walked into the registrar's office with the Brit.

After signing the marriage register in the middle of the office packed with well-wishers, the couple exchanged their wedding rings and garlands in presence of activists from Madurai and Dindigul.

With no family members of the bride and the groom present, three witnesses, all from hill town, signed the documents to complete the wedding procedure. The marriage was registered under the 'Special Marriage Act 1954'.

Later, the couple left by a car for their residence in the hill town, where the newly-married want to settle down.

After ending her 16-year-long fast demanding scrapping of the Armed Forces (Special Provisions) Act in 2016, Sharmila, contested the assembly polls from her home town last year. She political battle was lost to Chief Minister Ibobi Singh.

Irom quit politics and decided to marry Coutinho.

Despite opposition from fringe groups, the couple went ahead with her decision on the location for the marriage.