Burnt as a baby, this acid attack survivor is now a fashion model

Acid attack survivor Anmol Rodriguez may have inspired fashion and lingerie brand’s Clovia’s new campaign #HappyIsMySuperpower, but her life has been one of struggle and pain.

Anmol was just two months old when her father threw acid at her mother, who died from the burns. Baby Anmol, who was on her lap, was left with a disfigured face, permanent scars and nowhere to go.

“My father was sentenced to prison and I remained in hospital for five years, undergoing treatment and also because I had nowhere to go, no one to claim me. The doctors and nurses took care of me until I was handed over to an orphanage,” she says.

Anmol was raised at Shree Manav Seva Sangh orphanage where she received quality education and care without any discrimination.

Constant stares and no friends

Once she finished school and enrolled at a college, things began to take a different turn. “I started facing discrimination for the first time. People were gving me strange looks and no one wanted to be my friend,” Anmol recollects.

When she got into the second year of college, she started feeling depressed and increasingly began to stay back at the orphange.

“When the officials at the orphanage got my results, they were very surprised as I was very good at academics and always at the top of my class. They asked me what was wrong but I couldn’t explain the problem,” she adds.

The orphanage hired a tutor who not only taught her academics but made her realise that she should focus on her life instead of worrying what people thought of her.

Anmol completed her bachelor’s in computer applications and was selected to work for a private company. “Despite a college degree, my struggle did not end. People kept on staring at me in the office, and I felt terrible. But I was prepared this time, with a positive approach towards life. But unfortunately, they fired me because they felt every one focused on my face,” she says.

Social media changes perceptions

Anmol tried a lot to get another job. During this time, she signed up on many social media platforms and started posting her photographs, especially on Facebook.

“Thankfully, I did not face any hate comments or trolling on social media. People thought of me of as inspirational, but real life was far different.”

While people appreciated her online, not much work was happening offline. However, the people at the orphanage supported her, though she could no longer stay there after she turned 18.

“I had to take a home on rent and start living independently. After a year, I got a job with an NGO but the woman who referred me was taking a cut of Rs 5,000 out of my Rs 15,000 salary. By that time, I was tired of looking for office work. I wanted to be on camera and act, or model. My friend and manager Megha started helping me in this process.”

Wanting to give back to society, Anmol also founded an NGO to help acid attack survivors. But she had to move out following differences with her partner.

Today, she works for an organisation called Kineer that works towards LGTBQ rights. Her campaign with Clovia is also a step towards what she wants from life.

Brands calling

Many brands noticed her presence on social media and she landed some endorsements. Anmol is the face of Clovia’s recently launched line of nightwear, with what the brand calls striking quote-prints “that inspire the modern Indian woman to liberate her true self”.

"We believe that in the end, it’s not just about selling lingerie; what matters to us is to identify and appreciate women of substance. We, at Clovia, have always believed in encouraging women to break free of taboos and embrace who they truly are. And who could be a better ambassador than Anmol to live our motto ‘Happiness is my superpower’," says Neha Kant, Founder and CRO, Clovia.

In the end, Anmol believes acceptance from society is most important. “There should be more opportunities for employment so that people like us can live a decent life. They have faced a lot of trauma in life, so instead of sympathising with them, help them stand on their own feet,” she says.

Anmol lives life with confidence and dignity and the hope that she will be a recognised actor one day. “I hope people’s mindsets will change and I can look at myself on the 70mm screen,” she says.

(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)

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