'Still Overwhelmed': Rhiya Ahir Opens Up To NDTV On Viral Mumbai Protest Moment

"I'm still trying to get over the fact that something which is so natural to me was extraordinary for almost the entire world," said Rhiya Ahir, the woman whose act of standing in front of a police van during student protests in Mumbai won her praise across social media.

On July 22, Ahir was seen blocking a police van carrying detained students during protests demanding the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Education Minister over alleged examination irregularities. The incident took place near Shivaji Park in Mumbai's Dadar area, where she refused to move. Videos of the moment quickly went viral, with many praising her courage. 

The satirical political group Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which spearheaded the protest over exam paper leaks, called off the agitation on Saturday after Dharmendra Pradhan resigned. His resignation was the main demand by the group.

'It's Just So Surreal'

Speaking to NDTV at the Business Leadership Awards 2026 in response to questions from NDTV Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal, Ahir said the response to the incident had been overwhelming.

"Thank you so much for all the motivation and courage. I'm still trying to get over the fact that something which is so natural to me was extraordinary for almost the entire world. Honestly, I'm still overwhelmed. It's just so surreal," she said.

At the same time, she said the events that led to the protests were deeply painful.

"Whatever has happened is deeply saddening and in a way it did break us and our faith. But now, we have come together and we are trying to pick up all the pieces one by one and put them all together. It's a New India movement, I can say, in a way," she said.

#NDTVProfitBLA2026 | 'It is a new India movement': Rhiya Ahir, Mumbai woman who blocked police van during CJP protests, speaks exclusively to NDTV's Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal (@rahulkanwal). Watch full interview here#BusinessLeadershipAwards pic.twitter.com/6YnvzpKrwX

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Asked how life had changed in the days after the incident, Ahir said she now finds herself being recognised by strangers.

"I walk two miles and someone says, 'Hey, you're that girl. I kind of know you.' I'm like, 'Yes, I'm that girl'," she said.

Ahir further said she had received messages from people across the world, including from Kenya, Australia and the United Kingdom.

"The response has been overwhelming but at the same time, if I have been given a platform, it comes with a responsibility. So I am trying to abide by the law and play by the books. It is our nation and we are going to work for the nation as the voice," she said.

She added, "I would like to always say that the face of the movement are the students who are not with us anymore, the lives who were impacted, the families who were impacted, who are still impacted and they are waiting for the cause to be fulfilled. They are the face. I was just a little helping hand."