Aung San Suu Kyi -a 'real' democratic leader....

Daw Suu, as she is popularly known in Myanmar, was born to Aung San, the founder of the modern Myanmar army and Khin Kyi, former Ambassador to India and Nepal. 

Aung San Suu Kyi began her political career on the sidelines of the historic 8888 Uprising as Myanmar witnessed nation-wide protests against single party rule. Though the uprising was short-lived, cries for democracy continued. The military junta took over power in September 1988.

Suu Kyi, as one of the founding members of National League for Democracy (NLD), gathered public support for democracy.

In 1989, she was placed under house arrest by the Myanmar junta. The following year, Myanmar went for polls. NLD won a landslide victory. However, the junta refused to hand over powers to NLD and Suu Kyi remained under house arrest for the next five years.

In the meantime, Suu Kyi was conferred Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. She lost her husband Michael Aris in 1999. She couldn't leave the country both times. In the photo, her husband and sons are seen with King Harald V of Norway and Queen Sonja after receiving the Nobel Prize on her behalf.

She was placed under house arrest for the second time in 2000, and released in 2002 only to be under house arrest the following year. Photo shows her lake side home where she was detained.

A 2002 file photo of Suu Kyi at her party headquarters. On November 7, 2010, Myanmar went to polls for the first time in 20 years. Pro-junta party won landslide victory after the NLD boycotted polls. Gen. Thein Sein became the country's premier.

As many as 100,000 anti-government protesters led by a phalanx of Buddhist monks marched on September 24, 2007 through Yangon. Saffron Revolution was the largest demonstration in Myanmar since the 8888 Uprising.

Suu Kyi was finally released on November 13, 2010.

She meets her son Kim Aris for the first time in a decade.

Suu Kyi took out her first political rally outside Yangon after her release. Earlier, she was placed under house arrest for taking out such political rallies.

Suu Kyi took out her first political rally outside Yangon after her release. Earlier, she was placed under house arrest for taking out such political rallies.

The visit of Hillary Rodham Clinton, the first U.S. Secretary of State in 50 years, marked the shift in U.S. policy towards Myanmar.

45 constituencies of Myanmar went for polls on April 1, 2012. Suu Kyi contested or rather was allowed to contest in the election.

By winning a parliamentary seat, Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon will hold public office for the first time, marking a new dawn in Myanmar's turbulent politics.