There is that one moment in all our lives which changes everything, makes us who we are or breaks us into who we would end up becoming.

I have seen a lot of people respond to such situations in their lives. For some people going through a terrible illness can make them appreciate life better, or there are some who having lost a loved one can lose all hope as well. My story is different. I have had a series of incidents which could be  considered life changing until of course the real one happened.

As a teenager, I broke my nose after a stone hit me while I was on a train – this could have changed my life.
Or finding passion in my career and  getting married to the most wonderful guy I have ever known – these were definitely life-changing moments.
But none of these came close to that unfortunate day when an unsuspecting man, in an act of vengeance, threw acid on me.

I can say I found my courage in those numerous surgeries I underwent, the pain and the agony. I would have liked to believe I found peace in acceptance and the spirit  for survival. But I didn’t. That peace and survival spirit came to me from a deeper core; from the two beautiful gifts God bestowed upon me later in my life — my daughters. The happiness of those events and the new role of a mother changed me forever.

As I gained confidence and courage in myself I believed that anything that happened to me without my consent and something that is not in my power to alter cannot define me. My peace was the acceptance of those memories and letting them fade away and be replaced by the new ones I am building.

I sincerely wish that no one should undergo this trauma ever again, yet its very prevalent. Its reality of our crooked world and it keeps on proliferating by the day. I wouldn’t be standing here today without help and support of my family and friends, and without miracle hands of several doctors and surgeons.

Burn injury is potentially a big public health problem. In fact, more people die due to burn injuries than Malaria and Tuberculosis As per the data extrapolated from the information received from three major government hospitals in Delhi, approximately 2 lakh burn patients become disabled and 1.4 lakh people die due to burn injury annually. This comes to 1 death every 4 minutes due to burns however burn injury is mostly unrecognized in our country.

I also promote the concept of skin donation. Most people don’t even know that you can donate skin which is taken from the thigh or lower back, could give an acid attack or burn victim another lease of life  With the help of donated skin we can save up to 80% burn patients.

After witnessing the plight of several Acid Attack and Burn survivors, I realized that their situation is worse than what I have been subjected to. I was fortunate to get timely help and medical treatment but many are left abandoned by family and the society to suffer alone in darkness. I wanted to help them in whatever possible way I could and thus Atijeevan came into existence some 5 years back. Atijeevan with help and support of several Doctors, Volunteers and philanthropists has been able to touch and rejuvenate lives of more than 200 survivors so far.

Reviving life of an acid burn survivor is a multi-faced challenge and when we are able to provide Multiple surgeries to the Patients we are able to solve half the problem. Survivor rehabilitation does not stop at treatment, as after that they need to find a respectable means of livelihood. Thus equipping them with skills is next step in the process..

Atijeevan’s key focus area include facilitating reconstructive surgeries and non surgical cosmetic procedures, counseling survivors for best possible personalised treatment, empowering survivors by educational and vocational training and organizing exhibitions for selling products made by acid attack and burn survivors.
As a team our objective is to give all the survivors a fair and equal chance to make their place in the society like any other common, competent and independent individual does.We are trying to become as a bridge between the survivors and society so that these survivors can travel their journey of life with the same ease, comfort, respect and opportunities as any common man gets.

Today I am proud of my accomplishment and contribution to Atijeevan Foundation. The only thing driving me is my simple thought process, “I am not a victim, I am an ‘ambassador’ . I have to fight for others who need my support at this moment.”

Here I stand as proof that I’m not what happened to me, I’m not my face, I’m what I make of myself. I’m a story with a happy ending.