Thulsi Manogaran first became interested in politics 19 years ago. She was 15 (2003) at the time, and her father, DAP leader M. Manogaran, had brought her the latest Time magazine.

On the cover was Condoleezza Rice, the first female African-American secretary of state and the first woman to serve as US national security advisor.

Taking inspiration from the largely impressive feat for a person of colour, Thulsi’s father told his daughter: “If a brown woman can go places in the US, then you can definitely go places in this country.” 

Well, Thulsi has certainly gone places since then – from serving in the government as a special officer to former deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching, to going down to the streets numerous times to peacefully protest and even being thrown in jail last year (2021) for taking part in a candlelight vigil!