Resham Fatma Becomes First Indian Acid Attack Survivor to Win Chevening Scholarship

Resham Fatma, a 29‑year‑old from Ranchi, India, survived a 2014 acid attack perpetrated by her mother’s cousin Riyaz after she rejected his marriage proposal. Despite multiple surgeries, she excelled academically, earning a BSc in Physics from Jamia Millia Islamia, an MA in Politics and International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, and the Bharat Award for bravery in 2015. In 2023 she founded the Ebrah Foundation, which mentors young Muslim women in education and career development. In 2024 she married Asghar, who encouraged her scholarship application. Fatma has now become the first Indian acid‑attack survivor to receive the UK government’s Chevening Scholarship and will pursue an MSc in Gender, Development and Globalisation at the London School of Economics. Her achievement highlights both personal resilience and the scholarship’s commitment to supporting leaders from diverse backgrounds.