Latest news with #MissPuducherry
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Dark, not lovely: What San Rachel's death reminded me about discrimination
As a child growing up in Kolkata, I was often told to 'take care' of my skin, especially as I spent hours training in martial arts under the harsh afternoon sun. What began as seemingly gentle suggestions soon gave way to more pointed comments. By my teenage years, hushed conversations around my marriage prospects had begun, with relatives debating whether my 'darkness' would be a liability. My mother's rules were unspoken but clear — avoid the sun, wear full sleeves even in summer, and always keep a tube of Fair & Lovely close at hand. In so-called progressive Bengal, being 'wheatish' was tolerable. Being dark was not. The recent suicide of San Rachel, a 26-year-old model from Puducherry and an advocate against India's deeply entrenched colourism, hit close to home. Rachel was confronting an entire cultural system that told women like her, and like me, that we weren't enough. That we had to earn visibility by erasing ourselves. Rachel didn't just walk runways, she dismantled them. Crowned Miss Puducherry in 2021 and later Miss World Black Beauty, she challenged every norm that told her she couldn't be beautiful. She went on to create a mentorship platform to uplift other marginalised models. But behind the crowns and accolades was a young woman quietly fighting the crushing weight of depression, online hate, and personal hardship. Her story is painfully familiar. In India, skin colour still determines a woman's worth – her desirability, her marriage prospects, her dignity. Matrimonial ads continue to seek 'fair brides'. Family members still recommend turmeric packs, lemon juice, and ubtans to 'brighten' the skin. Compliments are backhanded, always delivered with an asterisk – she's dark, but pretty. At my cousin's wedding, a guest whispered how 'fortunate' it was that the groom 'overlooked' her dusky complexion because 'everything else is perfect'. She smiled through it. Later that night, she cried alone in the bathroom. Fair & Lovely, the fairness cream that defined generations, was a fixture in most Indian households, including mine. It was rebranded to 'Glow & Lovely' in 2020, but the shift came decades too late. The messaging remained intact: Success and acceptance were for the fair-skinned; the rest of us had work to do. Bollywood, too, plays its part. Leading female actors, many of them naturally dusky, are routinely lightened on magazine covers and on screen. Camera lighting, filters, and makeup are deployed to make them 'camera-friendly' – a coded phrase for paler. Priyanka Chopra, who once endorsed fairness creams, later admitted she was ashamed of having contributed to the culture that had made her insecure. Ironically, in Hollywood, her skin tone was suddenly seen as 'exotic'. This whitening isn't just reserved for women. The industry operates in reverse, too. Fair-skinned actors are often bronzed with darker makeup when portraying characters from marginalised castes or economically weaker backgrounds. In India's visual vocabulary, fairness signifies wealth, privilege, desirability. Darkness is associated with poverty and, by extension, inferiority. The bias is far more than skin-deep. It creeps into job interviews, classrooms, marriage meetings. A friend, an accomplished lawyer, told me she was advised to apply foundation before meeting a prospective groom so she wouldn't look 'too dull'. Her accolades meant less than her melanin. San Rachel spoke publicly about being bullied for her skin as a child, and rejected by modelling agencies early in her career. Yet, she persevered, calling out the deep-rooted hypocrisy of a nation that worships dark-skinned gods but shames its dark-skinned girls. Her death is a sobering reminder of just how relentless this pressure can be. Of how the applause on stage can drown out the silence within. In India, for many women, beauty is not a joy. It is a burden. A battlefield. A lifelong negotiation for validation. We cannot bring Rachel back. But we can honour her. We can carry forward her work, her voice, her vision. It begins by unlearning what we've internalised. By refusing to laugh at that 'dark joke' at a family gathering. By calling out the aunty who insists her daughter shouldn't play in the sun. By recognising and rejecting colourism even when it comes dressed as 'concern'. And maybe, finally, by teaching our daughters, and our sons, that beauty was never meant to be a single shade. Thank you very much.
India Today
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Who is San Rechal, former Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu who died by suicide at 26?
San Rechal Gandhi, former Miss Puducherry and an outspoken advocate for inclusivity in the fashion industry, died on Saturday at the age of 26. The model, social media influencer, and founder of a grooming agency passed away at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) days after a reported suicide attempt on July also known by her birth name Shankarapriya, rose to prominence not just for her accolades on the runway but for what she represented: A powerful voice against colourism in beauty and entertainment QUEEN 'MISS RECHAL'Crowned 'Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu' in 2019 and later 'Miss Puducherry' in 2021, San Rechal was vocal about discriminatory beauty standards in the industry. "My vision is to create an environment free of unrealistic beauty standards," she told 'Etimes' in an earlier interview. "I want to inspire a generation that believes they can achieve their dreams, no matter their colour, size, or shape." San Rechal was crowned 'Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu' in 2019 and 'Miss Puducherry' in 2021. (Instagram/@san_rechal_official) Born and raised in Puducherry, Rechal lost her mother at a young age and was brought up by her father, Gandhi, who stood by her ambitions to become a model. Her journey to self-acceptance began in school, where she faced bullying and discrimination for her darker skin tone. Instead of retreating, she chose to confront these biases head-on-using the very industry that once rejected her as a platform for change."The key is to focus on yourself, irrespective of what society says," she once said. "I want to bring that kind of change."RISING STARRechal's modelling career was defined by courage and conviction. Despite being turned away from several pageants in her early days due to her complexion, she broke through to win four major beauty titles and walk international ramps in London, Germany, and France. In 2023, she represented India at the 'Miss Africa Golden' pageant. San Rechal won four major beauty titles. She co-founded 'Rose Noire Fashion & Grooming Ltd', a modelling agency, and ran 'RADO's Gift', a non-profit that cared for stray and indigenous puppies - a cause close to her heart. On social media, where she had a following of over 180,000 on Instagram, Rechal often shared her thoughts on self-worth, beauty bias, and animal welfare. San Rechal ran a non-profit that cared for stray and indigenous puppies. She was also an active member of the "Pondicherry Queens" community on Coto, a platform aimed at empowering WAS BATTLING DEPRESSIONAccording to police, Rechal had been battling depression and severe financial stress in the months leading up to her death. After reportedly consuming an overdose of sleeping pills at her father's home on July 5, she was first taken to the Puducherry Government Hospital and later transferred to JIPMER, where she succumbed to said she had sold jewellery recently to fund her career and had sought financial help from her father, who was unable to assist due to obligations toward her younger brother. According to reports, a note recovered by the police stated that no one was responsible for her death, but officials are also looking into possible marital issues as a contributing factor. She had married recently, though little is publicly known about her husband or the nature of the relationship.- Ends
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- Khaleej Times
India: Former Miss Puducherry San Rechal Gandhi dies by suicide at 26
San Rechal Gandhi, former Miss Puducherry and an advocate for inclusivity in the fashion industry, died on Saturday at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), days after an alleged suicide attempt. The 26-year-old model and social activist had reportedly consumed an overdose of sleeping pills on July 5. According to news outlets in India, she was initially taken to the Puducherry Government Hospital by her father and later shifted to a private hospital before being admitted to JIPMER, where she succumbed. Rechal rose to prominence for challenging colourism and promoting diversity in fashion. She was crowned Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu in 2019 and later won the Miss Puducherry title in 2021. She also represented India in international modelling events held in London, Germany, and France. According to police sources in reports by Indian outlets, Rechal had recently married and was reportedly battling depression at the time of her death. The Urulaiyanpettai Police have registered a case and launched an investigation. Raised by her father after losing her mother at a young age, Rechal was known for her work on women's safety and for breaking conventional beauty norms in the modelling industry.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
San Rachel, model and advocate against colour bias, ‘dies by suicide' in Puducherry at 26
San Rachel, a model and outspoken advocate for inclusivity in the Indian beauty industry, allegedly died by suicide on Sunday at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) in Puducherry. She was 26. Rachel was admitted to Jipmer after her health deteriorated following an overdose of sleeping pills, allegedly consumed on July 5, according to police sources. She was initially treated at the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and was later admitted to a private hospital in Moolakulam before being transferred to Jipmer. A post-mortem examination is scheduled for Monday. An alleged suicide note recovered from her father's home stated that no one should be held responsible for her death. A Tahsildar-level inquiry has been ordered to examine the circumstances, officials said. Born and raised in Puducherry, Rachel lost her mother at a young age and was brought up by her father, D Gandhi, 57. With his encouragement, she entered the modelling world and rose to prominence despite early rejections due to her skin tone – an experience that shaped her later activism. She won several regional and national beauty titles, including Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu (2019), Miss Best Attitude (2019), Miss Puducherry (2020/2021), and Queen of Madras (2022 and 2023). She was runner-up in Miss Africa Golden India (2023). She represented India at events in London, Germany, France, and South Africa. Rachel was also the founder of Rose Noire Fashion Grooming, a pageant and modelling mentorship platform. On social media, she often used her visibility to challenge colourism and promote self-acceptance among young women. She was recently married and living with her husband in Puducherry.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Popular model San Rechal, who fought colourism, dies by suicide at 26
San Rechal, a 26‑year‑old model and social media influencer from Puducherry, died by suicide on Sunday after allegedly consuming a large number of tablets, reports NDTV citing Puducherry police. San Rechal, 26, had recently married.(Instagram/@San_Rechal_Official) Rechal had recently married and also earned acclaim for her bold advocacy against colourism in the fashion and film industries. She was first rushed to a government hospital from her father's residence. She was subsequently moved to a private facility and ultimately transferred to JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research), where she was declared dead. Authorities told NDTV that mounting personal and financial pressures may have driven her to take such a drastic step. Investigators discovered that she had recently pledged or sold jewelry to fund her professional pursuits. Reports in local media indicate she had anticipated financial assistance from her father, who also has a son, but was turned down. A suicide note recovered at the scene reportedly absolved everyone of blame, although a Tahsildar‑level probe has been initiated to explore whether unresolved issues within her recent marriage may have contributed to her deteriorating mental state San Rechal rose to prominence after winning the Miss Puducherry crown in 2022 and went on to represent India at the Miss Africa Golden pageant in 2023. She had earned acclaim for her courageous stand against the pervasive stigma surrounding darker skin tones, a subject she championed through her social media platforms. Her death has sparked renewed online conversations around mental health, financial strain faced by entertainers, and the persistent battle against colourism. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secunderabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000, ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290
