Women
4 Acid Attack Survivors Who Are Carving Their Dreams With Scars
Battling between physical and mental pain, these acid attack survivors from India rose above their odds to prove to the world that no one can hinder the way to their dreams
Text credits: Lakshmi Priya
Acid attack, the act of throwing acid to someone with the intention to disfigure, torture or kill is one of the most heinous and violent assaults any human can do to its own kind. When some victims hid behind the curtains of sorrows, lock themselves inside their houses and battle with pain and depression some broke the barriers to inspire them. Here is a list of strong, courageous and confident acid attack survivors from India who did not hide their disfigured faces with a scarf but unveiled them to the world to prove that it’s just their face that is disfigured, not their dreams.
Laxmi Agarwal
Image source: youtube.com
Laxmi Agarwal is a popular face among the Indians majorly because of her notable attempts on regulating acid attacks in India. Born and brought up in Delhi, Laxmi became a victim of the acid attack at the age of 15 by a man named Naeem Khan whose proposal she rejected. Even after undergoing unbearable physical and mental pain due to the tragedy, Laxmi did not back out of her dreams. Laxmi initiated the campaign ‘Stop acid attack’ to speak for the rights of acid attack victims and to bring an end to the heinous crime. She ventured an attempt of collecting 27,000 signatures in a petition to curb acid attacks and took the cause to the attention of the Supreme court. This initiative led the Supreme court to order a regulation of selling acid in the central and state level. She received the “International Women of Courage” award in the year 2014 from Michelle Obama, the former first lady of United States. Laxmi found love with a campaigner who reported her story while she was in the process of rehabilitation. They are happily married now and has a daughter. Laxmi is running ‘Channv Foundation’, an NGO to help the survivors of acid attacks in India. Rather than being caught up in the sorrows of the past, Laxmi decided to break the strings of her limitations by inspiring the world to chase the dreams.
Reshma Qureshi
Image source: huffingtonpost.in
Reshma Qureshi, based out of Mumbai is a model, vlogger and an anti-acid activist. She was part of ‘Make love not scars’, a campaign against acid attacks which received national wide attention in India. At the age of 17, Reshma was attacked by her brother-in-law and his two assailants while travelling to Allahabad. The crime was actually aimed at Reshma’s sister but ended up making Reshma a victim. For a long time, Reshma fought with pain and depression and finally garnered the courage to set out and inspire the world. Her break in modelling came while she did the ramp for Indian designer Archana Kochhar at New York Fashion Week 2016. Reshma’s makeup tutorials on YouTube is also a huge hit.
Monica Singh
Image source: nypost.com
Monica Singh, a fashion designer and the founder of Mahendra Singh foundation, an organisation working for women empowerment is inspiring the world with her story of surviving an acid attack. At the age of 19, Monica was attacked by her friend whom she had known for 6 years. He committed the crime as Monica denied his need to elope with him leaving her family, education and career behind. After the attack, Monica was undergoing great hardships during the process of rehabilitation. Around 46 surgeries were performed to recover the seven layers of skin which were burnt due to the attack. Even during the treatment, Monica was strong about her career and completed her degree with high marks. To pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer, Monica moved to New York. Now, Monica is using fashion as a tool to inspire people who had undergone similar situations.
Sonali Mukherjee
Image source: bfmtv.com
Sonali Mukherjee, based out of Jharkhand became a victim of the acid attack in the year 2003. She was attacked by 3 boys namely Tapas Mithra, Sanjay Paswan, Bhrahmadev Hajra whose sexual advances she rejected. As a revenge, the three boys broke into her house and threw acid on her. Sonali’s body was completely disfigured due to the atrocious incident. Making her wish to see Amitabh Bachchan a reality, she participated in the television show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’. Currently, Sonali is working as a clerk at the Bokaro deputy commissioners office.
Women
Kareena Kapoor film festival : PVR celebrates 25 years of Kareena
Kareena Kapoor, one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, has captivated audiences for over two decades. With her latest release, The Buckingham Murders, now in theatres, the actress has reached a significant milestone, celebrating 25 years in the Hindi film industry. To honor her illustrious career, PVR Cinemas is organizing a special multi-city film festival dedicated to Kareena—an unprecedented tribute for a female actor in India. Previously, only legends like Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan have received similar honors.
The festival will showcase some of Kareena’s most iconic performances on the big screen, featuring beloved characters such as Poo from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Geet from Jab We Met, and her title role in Chameli. A trailer for the festival, highlighting these memorable roles, has already been released, with more details to follow soon.
Kareena expressed her gratitude on Instagram, sharing her excitement for the tribute. In her heartfelt post, she wrote, “The blood in my veins, the magic on screen… my job I love… the fire within… here’s to the next 25 ❤️. Thank you to @pvrcinemas_official & @inoxmovies for curating this beautiful festival… so humbled.”
Having made her debut with JP Dutta’s Refugee in 2000, Kareena has starred in over 50 films, including Chameli, Omkara, Heroine, 3 Idiots, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Udta Punjab, and Laal Singh Chaddha. Fans can look forward to seeing her next in Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again, alongside Ajay Devgn.
Women
Inspiring Indian Women Who Defied Age Norms
Age is often perceived as a limitation, a barrier that holds individuals back from pursuing their dreams and achieving greatness. However, there are exceptional women who have shattered this misconception, proving that age is merely a number. In India, these remarkable women have demonstrated resilience, passion, and determination, inspiring countless others to defy societal expectations and pursue their aspirations regardless of their age.
SEEMA ANAND
Sex health instructor and storyteller Seema Anand is well-known for her gorgeous appearance and silver hair. But Seema’s Instagram account really shines because of the way she addresses sex and dispels ageist myths, providing insightful advice for senior citizens looking to have better sex. She dispels misconceptions about contraception and encourages body awareness. Both young and old who want to learn more about sexual pleasure should check out Anand’s account.
MANJRI VARDE
Manjri Varde is a skilled artist who, along with her actress daughter-in-law Sameera Reddy, is known online as “sassy saasu.” Together, they make humorous videos that question conventional wisdom regarding the dynamics of in-law relationships. She is a designer and artist who runs her own business, Samanjri, which sells poetry, calligraphy, and wearable art. Varde has a unique sense of style and is frequently spotted with brightly coloured sarees and scarves that she creates herself. Even though she is well-known on Instagram, where she frequently shares videos highlighting her love of art, entertaining, and cooking with her daughter-in-law.
SHEELA BAJAJ
Sheela Bajaj, a Delhi native, turned her love of crocheting into a business during the lockdown by using Instagram to fuel her passion. She has been making sweaters for her family using her crocheting abilities for years. Yukti Bajaj, her granddaughter, proposed that they launch a company to highlight her amazing knitting masterpieces.The two launched their crochet business in November 2020, and it has been inundated with customers. They claim that the current gap between supply and demand for their products is ten times larger.
RAJINI CHANDY
Rajini Chandy, a 72-year-old homemaker actor came to light in 2021 thanks to a widely shared photo shoot. She looked better than many in tattered dresses and denim, even at her advanced age. She did, however, get harsh criticism for her wardrobe selections. At the age of 65, Rajini Chandy, who has 20,000+ Instagram followers, started her acting career in Malayalam films. Interestingly, she took part in a Big Boss Malayalam season as well.
SHANTHI RAMACHANDRAN
This former banker simply wanted to unwind and enjoy her life after retiring in 2015. She created a social media platform where she provides her cooking advice and techniques, supported by her daughter. She now goes as “Insta Aunty” and has amassed a sizable fan base since then. Shanthi Ramachandran has an astounding 53.3k followers, and her delicious posts will definitely make you hungry.
These remarkable women from India have defied age norms and shattered stereotypes, proving that with passion, determination, and resilience, anything is possible. Their stories serve as a powerful reminder that age should never be a barrier to pursuing dreams and achieving greatness. As we celebrate their accomplishments, let us draw inspiration from their journeys and strive to embrace our own potential, regardless of our age.
Fashion
Zeenath Aman’s new look that makes internet go crazy
Zeenat Aman is very vocal with her Instagram followers. In her most recent post, the veteran actor, whose Instagram presence has managed to catch everyone’s attention, gave her take on fashion. The celebrity wrote in great depth about enjoying fashion and not limiting its associations to words like “sexy” and “glamour.” On her profile, one can see photos from her more recent adventures mixed in with nostalgic photos, all of which are accompanied by moving writing from the icon herself.
Aman has been called a retro fashion icon, but her Instagram shows that she hasn’t lost any of her style chops over the years. Aman’s style stands out amid a sea of fashion posts that are overflowing with trends but lacking in personality. The actor’s fashion choices and her tone of voice, which is hard to come by on social media, are a welcome contrast.
Taking to her Instagram to talk about her understanding of the concept of fashion, Zeenat shared a couple of pictures standing in an oversized white shirt and black pants from the new shoot. The actor said she is tired of hearing the word ‘bombshell’ and ‘diva’ attached to fashion all the time, and wants to pull the ‘focus on fun.’ Positive comments on the actor’s post were left by many, who praised her for defying stereotypes and serving as an inspiration.
Aman posed for the camera wearing a Payal Khandwala costume to celebrate her 50th Instagram post. Aman, who is never afraid to make a statement, defied the ageist fashion convention that “women of a certain age” should only wear neutral colour schemes. Aman wore a handwoven silk jacket in a lush green tone over her immaculate white shirt, giving the look the ideal pop of colour. The actor wore classic accessories including tiny golden earrings, black eyeglasses, and a brush of brick-red lipstick.
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