Excerpt from an Interview with Anmol Rodriguez

 

Anmol Rodriguez (B.1994) is a fashion influencer, TEDx speaker and an acid attack survivor.  Her life is a testament to resilience, courage and determination that inspired thousands of people.  She started Sahas Foundation in 2017 to help acid attack survivors in their rehabilitation process.  This excerpt is from the interview of Diksha Yadav with anmol Rodriguez for 'The Statesman' in 2020.

The interview with Anmol Rodriguez actually describes her journey of survival and resilience.  Anmol's father poured acid on her, who was then two months old and on her mother intending to kill them.  Though her mother died, Anmol Survived to live her life with one eye and with a disfigured face.  She grew up in Shree Manav Seva Sangh in Mumbai.  Though she secured a job, she had to quit as she faced discrimination there.  Then she continued her education.  There she met her teacher Kiran Gandhi, who actually helped her to overcome her fear, reset her goal, achieve her dreams.  It was how she became a role model for others with positivity and dignity in her later life.

According to Anmol, everyone is a survivor in their own life.  So, they should be supported.  To her beauty is acceptance, so she says it shouldn't be measured with physical appearance.  Then, she talks about the Sahas Foundation and her training the acid attack survivors to be mentally prepared for self acceptance in life and to set goals in their life.  She declares that we should always love and embrace ourselves in all conditions.  'Chhapaak' movie that tells the real life story of acid attack survivor Lakshmi Agarwal, is also mentioned.  She is of the opinion that such films will make the people understand the pain of acid attack survivors.  She claims that her working with the Likee App, the global short-video creating platform, is motivating the youth of India a lot and so it will bring changes in them.  Thus, she believes her happy and positive life with dignity will be an inspiration for many.  In this way Anmol's interview becomes a critical and social commentary on physical appearance and on the treatment of survivors by society.

------Thulasidharan V