NEW DELHI: “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”These lines from “Ode to the West Wind”, penned by PB Shelley, seem to have become the motto for the 17-year-old girl whose life was rudely interrupted late last year after two men on a motorcycle threw acid at her when she was on her way to school.The teenager, who had wounds on her face and neck, couldn’t even open her eyes initially after the incident. She also suffered the disappointment of missing her pre-board exam and the law entrance test. But, two-and-a-half months on, the gritty and determined girl has made remarkable recovery and is now appearing for her Class XII board exams.When TOI met the girl at her residence in Mohan Garden Tuesday afternoon, she was brimming with confidence. However, it wasn’t smooth sailing in the beginning.The initial days were rough as I couldn’t open my eyes. The doctors were trying to remove the acid and the process was painful. I was in the ICU for some days. Gradually, it became better and after 21 days, I could go to school as my pre-board-II had started. The incident had forced me to miss my pre-board-I exam and CLAT entrance, which was just four days later,” said the girl, who has been advised to avoid the sun for six months.Going back to school has given her some semblance of normalcy. “My teachers, peers and friends were all very welcoming when I returned and even blessed me,” she said.Dressed in a black T-shirt and joggers and her hair tied in a bun, the teenager has no qualms showing the scars behind her neck, saying they “don’t matter”.”What is the point of exterior beauty if one’s soul is not clean? Outer beauty doesn’t reflect anything unless inner beauty exists. The incident made me realise that. All these things are temporary. What matters in the end is what you are inside,” she said.Her biggest cheerleaders during her recovery period, the girl told TOI, were her parents and her best friend. Although her parents were hesitant initially when she stepped out, they are used to seeing her spending time with her friends now.”There is still a sense of worry, but our daughter is safe and has come out of this with grace. Nothing can make us happier and prouder than this,” her father said.He added that he would always be indebted to the shopkeeper who poured water in his daughter’s eyes when the incident took place.Asked about her biggest learning experience, the girl, showing a thumbs-up sign, said, “The incident helped me become braver and stronger. It also taught me to better identify people’s behaviour. Most importantly, I learnt that one needs to be strong mentally. There will be bad days, but there will be good days too.”The girl said she loves listening to music and practising yoga in her free time. She likes economics and plans to pursue the subject, and later move to law. She also wants to prepare for exams for bank probationary officer (PO) as well as judicial services.The attack has made her more protective of her younger sibling, who is about four years her junior. “I keep a check on her to see if she is fine or if she has good people around,” the girl told TOI.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/gritty-teen-gears-up-for-exams-after-acid-attack/articleshow/98318831.cms
