BIGGER HIGHER,STRONGER

THESE WOMEN PROVE THAT HURDLES IN LIFE MUST BE TAKEN HEAD ON AND OVERCOME WITH COURAGE AND DETERMINATION. THEIR INSPIRING STORIES WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH A RANGE OF EMOTIONS BUT END ON A SMILE OF VICTORY

- Sharon D’Silva,Karen Alfonso

DEVANSHI YADAV

CRUSADER FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

From personal tragedy to becoming a beacon of hope for others, Devanshi Yadav’s life is a journey of resilience and empowerment. Hers is a story of transforming pain into purpose.

When she was just nine months old, Devanshi’s father was martyred in a terrorist bomb blast, leaving her mother a single parent at 24. As she grew up, she heard tales of her father’s bravery and saw her mother defy societal norms with unwavering determination. Social work called to her early on, but her fight became personal when she was assaulted at 14 while visiting a temple with her friend one evening. Two boys rode by on a bike, and the pillion rider threw acid at her. The sharp smell, the fumes from her skin, the excruciating pain… She collapsed and was rushed to the hospital almost immediately, but she came dangerously close to losing an eye. While the physical scars have faded, the emotional wounds from facing such an incident during her formative years made it difficult for her to trust people. In the aftermath of the incident, Devanshi sought solace by moving in with a family friend, hoping to find refuge in a home away from home. One night, however, he entered her room, heavily intoxicated, and began to touch her inappropriately. She managed to escape, lock herself in the bathroom, and call her friends for help. Despite her bravery, she was met with harsh judgement; relentless slut-shaming and victim-blaming left her unable to process the trauma at the tender age of 18.