Women’s Day: All gender-based violence is due to patriarchal mindset, says acid-attack survivor Pragya Singh

Pragya Singh, a Bengaluru-based acid attack survivor-turned-activist and social worker, has been fighting to provide relief and rehabilitation to her fellow acid attack and burn survivors for the past six years. Pragya had survived an acid attack by a jilted lover just 12 days after her marriage when she was 23 in 2006. After her recovery, she has been coordinating with eminent doctors/hospitals from across the country for medical advice and treatment. She also works towards personal counselling and generating permanent source of regular income for all of the survivors who are in need.

Pragya is founder and secretary of “Atijeevan Foundation”, an NGO that apart from facilitating free of cost surgeries for acid attack survivors, also provides avenues for income generation to victims by training them to create handicraft products.

A post-graduate in Fashion Management, Pragya is a recipient of several Indian and International awards and accolades for her social welfare activities. On the eve of Women’s Day, DH spoke to Pragya about the plight of acid attack victims, how she overcame the trauma, her social welfare activities and a lot more. Below are the excerpts from the interview.

Q. You turned into an inspiration and a ray of hope for many who suffer such brutality. What gave you the courage and motivation to achieve such a feat?
A. My stay at Safdarjung Hospital for almost four months initially changed my life forever. I realised that I was among those lucky ones who are walking out of that burns ward alive. Yes, I have suffered in my life, and yes I have no clue why, so what? These events, the attack, the aftermath and what followed were never in my hands, nothing I could have done could have altered it, but what I do now is my decision. I told myself, God has different plans for me, a bigger role to play. Ever since that day, I took it upon myself to fight for the cause of those oppressed acid attack survivors, who needed a voice. I started Atijeevan foundation to help and support survivors of burn and acid attack.

Q. You run an NGO to help and rehabilitate acid attack survivors and you are into other social welfare activities as well. How the noble journey has been so far?
A. With the help and support of several doctors, nurses, volunteers and philanthropists, Atijeevan has been able to touch and rejuvenate the lives of more than 250 burn and acid attack survivors so far. Atijeevan’s key focus areas are facilitating reconstructive surgeries and non-surgical cosmetic procedures, counseling survivors for best possible personalised treatment, empowering survivors by educational and vocational training and organising exhibitions for selling products made by acid attack and burn survivors. Life over the past few years has been far more meaningful and gratifying.

Q. As it is extremely difficult to cope up with such a tragedy, how did you manage to overcome it at the initial stages?
A. I think the support of my family and my loved ones kept me motivated to move on. There are people with two different attitudes, ones who take the path always grumbling along the way, while the others who follow the grateful path, and I have learned to see the glass half full.

Q. What do you think causes such attacks on women and what do you think such criminals deserve?
A. Acid attack survivors in India have been completely neglected in the past. The treatment, reconstructive surgery and especially empowerment of those survivors are done by only a handful of organisations. There is not much government support in this area. Atijeevan has pioneered in working towards the multiple verticals of empowering burn and acid attack survivors. But more awareness and acceptance in society and the workforce is needed today. It is now time to change the narrative. Rather than victim shaming, we need to shame the accused of such heinous crimes. They should be boycotted from the society. And of course, a life imprisonment is very less to ask for.

Q. You are going to speak at Wempower event in Bengaluru. What will be your focus-point there?
A. I believe the patriarchal society is the reason for all gender-based violence. We need to be more inclusive to make our space a safe one for everyone. We will be discussing "Why Indian women are not safe in their own skin? Politics, patriarchy, moral policing"

Q. On the eve of Women’s Day, what is your message to all the women in general, and especially, to the acid attack survivors?
A. To all you warriors out there, who are all fighting your own personal battles, you may be broken, you may be hurt, but let me tell you that this may be just an extraordinary opportunity to write a brilliant new story !!! Go on...