Journalism of Courage
Laxmi, an acid attack surviour and activist of stop Acid Attack (SAA) campaign gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Pihu. She talks about her dreams and apprehensions about being accepted by her child. (Source: Express photo by Oinam Anand)
On March 25 this year, a daughter was born to Laxmi and her partner, activist Alok Dixit. (Source: Express photo by Oinam Anand)
Laxmi recieved the Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award in 2014, which honours women around the globe who have exemplified exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for human rights, women’s equality, and social progress, often at great personal risk. Laxmi received the award from US First Lady Michelle Obama. (Source: Express photo by Oinam Anand)
Laxmi was 16 when an acquaintance threw acid on her face in New Delhi’s busy Khan Market in 2005, disfiguring her permanently. She had been on her way to the bookshop, where she worked when a man who had been stalking her for nearly a year — a close family friend, double her age — threw a beer bottle full of acid on her face because she had refused his proposal. (Source: Express photo by Oinam Anand)
Laxmi admits she was apprehensive about having the child. "When I first saw my face afterwards, I was devastated. I had no face to speak of. My eyes were misshapen. The memory of that would keep coming back during my pregnancy. If I felt that way about how I looked, how would my child feel about it? Would she be scared when she looked at me?” (Source: Express photo by Oinam Anand)
“Laxmi was quite apprehensive in the beginning about how Pihu would react to her. But I tell her she’s such a brave person and has done so much to bring attention to the cause and to help other survivors that Pihu will be proud to have her as her mother, " says Alok Dixit, Laxmi's partner. (Source: Express photo by Oinam Anand)
