Born in a middle class conservative joint family, I was first child of my parents and fourth girl in the family.

So here it starts.

When I was growing up I had been told by people that I am dark skinned, ugly, with curly and frizzy hair. I must be hardly in 4th or 5th grade when I was being told that I need to get surgeries to get my skin ‘correct’. Probably this made me a lonely, angry and arrogant child. I hated myself, everything related to me. I became extremely under confident.

At times I heard sentences like “No matter what you wear you would look the same – ugly and dark. I never realized that I had anything good in me. Till one day I met, the man of my life, we got married last year but we knew each other since college.

Our companionship was of 10 years already when we got married. He is a very calm and cool person and I am a totally opposite person. I still wonder why and how he fell in love with me!

But he is the only person made me realize that I am not ugly but different and since I am different, beautiful, and unique in my own way. He made me realize that I have lot many things that need to be appreciated and then I stood up and accepted myself as a fearless, dusky, curly haired, outgoing and straightforward girl.

Now anyone who comes to me or passes a comment on my looks I have an apt response for them.
If my skin color seems a disease to you then you need to get a checkup with a psychiatrist since it is a disease in your mind, your problem not mine or my skin’s fault. I am proud of what I have got. I am dark and beautiful.

I avoid all the advices that start with “You are a girl and you can’t say this or do this.” I respond to people’s criticism about my looks by wearing clothes I like, flaunting the jewelry I adore.

Few months ago, I started my own venture of jewelry named “Innara” and I am glad it’s growing.

I am still in my hometown struggling with my PhD while my husband in Delhi. People forced me to leave my PhD in-between now that I am married and supposed to live with my husband. But my husband has been so supportive in this matter. He is standing with me like a rock; he has always stood by me.

He is my strength, the one who made me fall in love with myself.

We are all fighting our daily struggles to earn our living or just to attain our dreams. So keep smiling, keep flaunting, keep rising, stay brave!

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