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Laxmi, Acid Attack Survivor And Feted Fighter, Is Now Mother Of 7-Month Old Girl

Courageous Acid Attack Survivor Laxmi Is Now A Proud Mother
PTI

NEW DELHI -- Disfigured beyond recognition in an acid attack, 26-year-old Laxmi who goes by a single name, has announced that she's the mother of a seven-month-old daughter. Her partner Aloke Dixit, 28, a social activist, works for the welfare of acid attack victims.

Laxmi has named her seven-month-old daughter 'Pihu' and the baby like her mother will go by a single name.

For somebody who has been confronted with stares and often times with hostility whenever she appeared in public, finding love and a soulmate seemed to be a hopeless task right up to the time until she met Aloke Dixit, 28, with whom she now runs the Stop Acid Attack Campaign.

The couple, who have been living-in, say they wanted some time to introduce their baby to the world.

Also Read: Survivor Of Acid Attack In India Wins 'Courage' Award For Her Refusal To Hide Her Face

"For the initial six to seven months we needed time for the baby and also for us. We wanted to relax. Also, because of our busy schedule we were not able to bring Pihu in front of the world. But we finally thought of introducing her to others," she said.

Laxmi was attacked with acid in 2005 in a busy marketplace when she was only 16-years-old by a man more than twice her age, whose advances she rejected.

Dixit says she and her partner mutually agreed to not get married, as well as not introduce their child in public immediately after her birth.

"Laxmi had also gone through a lot of tragedies. She had lost her father and her younger brother very recently. So we did not want people to bombard her with questions and that's why we kept quiet," said Dixit.

Stating that he does not believe in the institution of marriage, Dixit said that the duo do not intend to get married and would continue with their relationship like earlier.

"We do not intend to get married because I do not believe in the institution of marriage. I believe that two people do not need a certificate to remain together in the society. So in the beginning itself we had decided that we are not getting married and would stay together in a live-in relationship, said Dixit.

Born in March, Pihu accompanies her mother everywhere and spends most of her time at the NGO Chaanv, the office of the Stop Acid Attack.

"Pihu does not have a surname, neither would she have one. We encountered a few problems while making the birth certificate but ultimately it has the name of both the mother and father because both of us are together," said Laxmi.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.