Activist & Now Mother: Acid Attack Survivor Laxmi’s New Role

Laxmi, acid attack survivor and social activist, is now mother of a 7-month old girl.

When Alok Dixit, 28, first met Laxmi, he was amazed at her resilience. Her dreams had still remained the same; unaffected by the chemical that had distorted her face.

A friendship blossomed and soon after, Laxmi became his companion. The couple recently announced that they turned parents with the birth of their daughter, Pihu, this year in March.

The name Pihu symbolises the chirrupy sound of a bird. Pihu’s laugh was also no less melodious for Laxmi, who was only beginning to pick the pieces of her life after losing her young brother and father recently.

Along with Laxmi, Alok – a former journalist turned social activist – now works for the welfare of acid attack victims. The duo run the ‘Stop Acid Attack Campaign’.

Alok and Laxmi are partners — they are together, but not ‘married’. Which, they admit, often becomes difficult to explain, especially as they live in Kanpur.

Both Alok and Laxmi reject the idea of marriage. Apart from their fundamental disdain for the institution, they also find it demeaning that most acid attack victims were thrown acid upon, just because they rejected the proposal of their attackers.

It wasn’t easy for Alok to convince his mother, who was until a few years back, rooted to the idea of finding a ‘sundar bahu’ (beautiful bride) for his son.

Laxmi’s story and the beauty of her character ultimately made Alok’s mother embrace his son’s choice.

Pihu spends most of her time at NGO Chaanv, the office of Stop Acid Attack. Pihu has also strengthened the bond between Alok and Laxmi, Alok says.

Pihu will have a special childhood because of the work her parents do. She will also be deeply sensitised to disfiguration and facial and bodily deformities, her father feels.

Alok swells with pride when he mentions how Pihu’s mother received the International Women of Courage Award from America’s First Lady Michelle Obama last year.

Laxmi is quite the artist, we are told. Alok hopes that their ‘bitiya’ (daughter) picks up the creative gene from her mother, and not him!

Alok knows well that anyone who meets an acid attack victim for the first time feels an aesthetic displeasure. He felt it too, he says. It wasn’t a point that he was trying to make when he decided to be with Laxmi — it was a spontaneous emotional commitment. But for sure, it is one that he won’t regret.