Interview: Meira Kumar

From the Times of India:

Soft-voiced, seemingly unfit to instil order in the often chaotic Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar dismisses the criticism that her vocal chords are a handicap. She is confident that she would be heard in the House. The first woman Speaker, also a dalit, says her election has struck a chord with the marginalised.

That Kumar is confident of managing Lok Sabha and projecting herself as a symbol of women and dalit empowerment is good news for Congress which has authored the surprise move.

In a freewheeling interview with TOI, Kumar touches on issues ranging from scepticism of her soft voice to the caste factor.