But, think about it, society is directly responsible for the sexual harassment women face. Sonali, having experienced the horrific consequences of violence against women, had obviously thought deeply on the subject, “In India, women are advised to avoid sexual predators. “I saw all their movies - loved dancing to Aishwarya’s numbers.” She stopped here to poignantly remark that she hoped one day to re-gain her vision and watch films again. She also enjoyed films and was a big fan of Aishwarya Rai and Shahrukh Khan. She opted for sociology and planned to pursue a PhD, and go into academics.
“I loved being a National Cadet Core (NCC) recruit,” she remarked. History and Hindi had enthused her as a school student and the freedom movement and Indian scriptures inspired her. She added, “Yeh aadhi adhorri zindagi aadhe chehre ke saath nahi jeeni hai mujhey (I don’t want to live half a life, with half a face).”
“I don’t want the world to see me this way because I hope to be like any other woman soon,” she said referring to her impending surgeries. The 22 surgeries will be carried out at the B L Kapur Super Specialty Hospital in Rajendra Place, New Delhi.Ĭlad in a white salwar kameez with a colourful collar - white is a favourite hue - she wore goggles before getting photographed. The Mumbai-based NGO, Beti, in association with a media group, has raised Rs 30 lakh as part of Project Hope, which aims to give Sonali a new identity with the help of facial reconstruction. But the media and people I didn’t even know came forward to help me live,” she said. My friends and family had abandoned me when I needed them most. She started with an irony: It was her call for euthanasia that gave her a new lease of life. I hugged her before we began our conversation on the struggles of her life. As her father guided her into the room after lunch, I realised her eyesight loss was total. I smiled back and told her I will wait until she ate. She had been subjected to an acid attack nine years ago when she was 17, but I had not expected this bright young woman who stood before me. Then the door opened and a peppy voice broke through, “Didi aa jaye, aaj khana late ho gaya, aap bhi kha lo (I am having a late lunch, please join me).” I had heard about Sonali’s case. And with that a new life, says Kamayani Bali MahabalĪs I went to meet Dhanbad-based Sonali Mukherjee, who was visiting Mumbai to be in a special episode of ‘ Kaun Banega Crorepati’, various emotions raced through me. SonaLi Mukherjee, an acid attack victim who once wanted to end her life, is now awaiting facial reconstruction surgery.