This is the story of Pratima Raj, 29, a resident of Ghaziabad. She used to be a teacher but now she is a painter. Pratima was 13 when she discovered some white patches on her skin, not aware of what was happening to her. It became difficult for her in school to fight the judgmental gaze of fellow students.
Pratima had a difficult time after that, she lost her confidence due to vitiligo. However, there was one person who always stood by Pratima, her mother.
"It is very important to accept yourself because honestly, it is hard to do so as a girl in a society like this. You are always judged based on your skin, height and much more. I was stared at by almost everyone because of the way my skin looked. But I realized one thing that no one will accept you if you don't accept yourself", said Pratima.
Pratima’s mother succumbed to Covid-19 last year. This took a mental toll on Pratima. Her doctor, Dr Vijay Langer, a Delhi based plastic surgeon who was treating her vitiligo, suggested she do something to take her mind off. "After Dr Langer's suggestion, I started painting and that helped a lot with my depression, I started feeling confident again. He did my vitiligo surgery and now I feel very good about my skin", she said.
While talking about how painting helped her overcome her mental health challenges, she said, “Every work of art is the reflection of the artist. Through my art, I try to express myself and reflect on my own thoughts. It’s a way for people to know me beyond my skin condition.”
She has been taking medicines for vitiligo for ten years now but all in vain, moreover, the loss of her mother further delved her into darkness. However, she decided to take charge of her mental health and art helped her in doing so.
