Review: Being Reshma: The Extraordinary Story of an Acid-Attack Survivor who Took the World by Storm

Being Reshma: The Extraordinary Story of an Acid-Attack Survivor who Took the World by Storm by Reshma Qureshi with Tania Singh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reshma’s is an amazing story, of finding purpose in life after suffering cruelty of the kind one would not imagine for anyone. Somehow, I had not followed her story before, though now I can see it was widely known and circulated.

Reshma Qureshi is one of five children born to a family in Mumbai who just about are able to make ends meet and struggle to educate the children. Her father, was a taxi driver who owned two taxis, one of which he drove himself. He is keen that his children get educated and find good jobs – which gets them more respect, money and satisfaction.

The family’s troubles start when after marriage, Reshma’s sister Gulshan suffers terrible abuse from her husband. It reaches a point when she has to return to her parents – and her husband announces a divorce shortly after. It gets worse from this point on – Gulshan’s son is kidnapped. What follows is even more horrific – with an acid attack led by Gulshan’s ex husband on her and Reshma. Reshma bears the full brunt of the attack, with the gang pouring acid on her face and body. Subsequent events make for tragic reading – a family struggling financially now trying to get around insensitive law enforcement, a tottering healthcare system, other than general apathy (Efficient & fair law enforcement, timely justice and medical care for all are key issues which sadly do not see enough public visibility or discourse).

There are nevertheless shining examples of selflessness – a cloth retailer who gifts a dress without payment, a local political leader who comes to family’s aid, some relatives and friends who stand by Reshma for months after the episode. Reshma’s life changes once she comes into contact with Ria Sharma who is just setting up her NGO “Make Love Not Scars (MLNS)”. Ria and the MLNS team stand by Reshma - they crowdsource funding so that she gets good medical care. Reshma gets over periods of depression and hopelessness to emerge stronger than ever before, and becomes the voice for women who have suffered abuse. She walks the ramp at a fashion show at New York, and has been the face of MLNS since years.

This book is very inspiring – both for Reshma’s strength & resolve, as also for the people who stood by her (her family, friends and the team at MLNS). Many parts of the book make for painful reading, and yet – if the issues highlighted in the book gain prominence in discussions, hopefully change will come, even if gradually. The book is also very honest such as covering Reshma’s bitterness in the initial months at everyone – even her own family.

This is a book I strongly recommend for reading. I received a free ebook copy of this book from the co-author Tania Singh for providing an honest review.


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