Reshma Qureshi

Reshma Qureshi is an Indian model, vlogger, and anti-acid activist. In India, she is the face of Brave Souls Foundation. Her foray into modeling in the United States came when she walked the catwalk for Archana Kochhar at the 2016 New York Fashion Week.

Reshma Qureshi
Born
Reshma Bano Qureshi
NationalityIndian
OccupationModel
Years active2016 - present
Modeling information
Hair colorBlack

Early life and attack

Qureshi was born the youngest daughter of a taxi driver from Eastern Mumbai, India.[1] They lived in a two bedroom apartment that housed all ten members of the family.[2] She studied commerce at school.[3]

On 19 May 2014, at the age of seventeen, Qureshi was attacked with sulfuric acid by her estranged brother-in-law and two other assailants when she was traveling to the city of Allahabad for an Alim exam. The attack was actually aimed at her sister Gulshan, but Qureshi was mistaken for her. While the two other assailants were never captured after the attack, her brother-in-law was arrested.[4]

After the attack, she felt suicidal for a short period of time as she was left scarred on her face and arms and lost one of her eyes completely. After healing, Qureshi became the face of the Make Love Not Scars campaign, which aims to give "a voice to those who have been assaulted" by acid attacks and campaigns for the end of the sale of acid in India.[5] She also began making beauty tutorials online as a way to campaign against the sale of acid.[6] Cosmopolitan called the videos "ridiculously empowering".[7]

In an interview with India New England News in September 2017, Qureshi was asked if she had heard from her attacker. She stated, "I haven’t spoken to the attacker or his family as such, but I met him two months back in court. I instinctively wanted to rip his throat out, to be honest… When he saw me, he told his lawyer and people, "She has become so big and a model, she is in a good place, so please release me or help me out.""[8]

Modeling

Qureshi is the face of the Brave Souls Foundation campaign in India.[9] The New York Times reported that as of September 2015, her videos have garnered over 900,000 views.[4]

For the 2016 New York Fashion Week, she opened for Indian designer Archana Kochhar and wore a "stunning cream and floral floor-length gown".[10] Qureshi's makeup was done by Chika Chan and her hair by Aubrey Loots.[5] Of the experience, Qureshi stated, "This walk was important to me because there are so many girls like me who are survivors of acid attacks, and this will give them courage. And it will also go to show people who judge people based on their appearance that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover - you should look at everyone though the same eyes."[7]

Also at the 2016 NYFW she walked for Vaishali Couture.[11]

In September 2017, Qureshi walked for designer Jaheena at the Crocs Mysore Fashion Week, held in Mysore, India.[12]

See also

References
  1. Ashraf, Shara (9 September 2016). "11 things you didn't know about acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  2. Gill, Harsimran (10 March 2016). "Indian acid attack victims share their stories". Aljazeera. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  3. "No respite for India's acid victims despite promised compensation". The National. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  4. Rogers, Katie (9 September 2015). "With Red Lipstick, Indian Acid Attack Victim Makes a Bold Statement". New York Times. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  5. Buncombe, Andrew (8 September 2016). "Indian acid attack survivor walks the runway at New York Fashion Week". The Independent. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  6. "Reshma Qureshi: Model, campaigner, acid attack survivor". BBC. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  7. Mei, Gina (9 September 2016). "Acid Attack Survivor Reshma Qureshi Slays the New York Fashion Week Runway". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  8. Sud, Kishori (17 September 2017). "Attacker wants me to 'let him go': Acid attack survivor Reshma Qureshi". India New England News. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
  9. Joshi, Sonam (9 September 2016). "Acid Attack Survivor Reshma Qureshi Steals The Show At New York Fashion Week". Huffington Post. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  10. Lui, Kevin (9 September 2016). "Acid-Attack Survivor Reshma Qureshi Hits the Catwalk at New York Fashion Week". TIME. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  11. Rodulfo, Kristina (10 September 2016). "See Striking Photos of Acid Attack Survivor Reshma Qureshi Walking at NYFW". Elle UK. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
  12. Sebastian, Shilpa (14 September 2017). "The face of grit". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
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