By: IndoUS Tribune Staff Writer (with attribution to BBC Birmingham)

At first glance, Amit Ghose’s story is one of immense hardship—but look closer, and it becomes a powerful testament to human resilience, self-worth, and the will to rise above cruelty.

A 35-year-old motivational speaker and author from Birmingham, UK, Amit was born with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a genetic condition that causes non-cancerous tumors along nerves, visibly affecting his face. Throughout his life, he’s endured bullying, stares, and public rejection. But rather than surrender to shame or bitterness, Amit chose transformation. Today, he stands not just as a survivor—but as a teacher of self-love.

One incident at a London café illustrates the daily prejudice he faces. “Everyone was staring at me. The staff looked shocked. One woman told me, ‘We’re not serving anymore,’ and just walked away, even though others were still ordering,” he recounted. Rather than dwell on the humiliation, Amit used the experience as fuel for his mission: teaching others that their worth lies far deeper than appearances.
Amit’s turning point came from a place of deep pain. After a hurtful encounter in a park—where strangers mocked his face and laughed—he was compelled to act. “They said, ‘If I had a face like yours, I wouldn’t leave the house,’” he shared. “That broke something in me, but it also gave me clarity: I need to speak up.”

Soon after, he self-published a children’s book titled Born Different, written to empower young readers struggling with self-image and difference. “If I had this book when I was a child,” Amit said, “it could’ve helped me accept myself sooner.”

The journey was far from easy. At age 11, Amit underwent surgery to remove his left eye. The result was further facial disfigurement—and deeper bullying. “I remember a classmate saying, ‘You don’t need a Halloween mask—you’ve got one for life.’ That comment haunted me for years.” He recalled hiding his face in photos and avoiding mirrors, battling depression and isolation.

But in a twist of fate, cricket became his refuge. “People saw me not as the boy with the ‘funny face’ but as Amit—the kid who could bowl. Cricket saved me.”
Still, real healing began with love. Amit credits his wife, Piyali, with teaching him “the art of acceptance.” It was Piyali who encouraged him to tell his story on social media—a suggestion he initially resisted. “I thought TikTok was just silly videos,” he said. But his first video struck a chord. In 2023, Amit began sharing candid reflections about his life. Today, he has nearly 200,000 followers and millions of likes—proof that authenticity resonates.

“Helping others has helped me,” Amit shared. “Now I say to the world, ‘This is me. Take it or leave it.’”

Amit Ghose’s story is not about pity—it’s about power. It’s a reminder that true beauty lies in courage, and that sometimes, the scars we carry become the very reason someone else finds strength.