This is the inspiring story of a young woman who never gave up on life and is being handsomely rewarded for her determination to live in the face of daunting obstacles.

Sonali Mukherjee, the 27 years old Indian who became permanently scarred nine years ago when three fellow students in the town of Dhanbad broke into her room as she slept and poured acid on her face, has won the top prize on the country’s version of the popular programme, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.”

Mukherjee’s ordeal started when she was attacked for spurning the students’ advances, leaving her blind and partially deaf.

“I felt hopeless and helpless,” Mukherjee told ABCNews.com. “I didn’t want to live anymore. The conditions for my treatment were very difficult.”

The horrific attack took not only a physical toll on Mukherjee, but a financial one on her family as well, according to a Daily Mail story. “To fund the 22 surgeries the young woman has already endured, Mukherjee’s family sold its land and her mother’s jewelry before running out of money to fund her treatment,” the paper reported.

According to the South China Morning Post, Mukherjee appealed to the Indian government for funding to repair the damage, or for the right for doctors to kill her, as

The Times of India quotes the brave Mukherjee as saying about her prize money: “I’ve had 22 operations and nine more are remaining, so that at least my eyes and ears are functional. If I recover, I want to help people like me.”

AFP further quotes her as saying: “It’s very easy for victims of acid attacks to swallow poison but I made the choice to stand up and scream and shout against the violence.”

News Express congratulates this extraordinarily brave woman for her will to live and overcome life’s adversities. We wish her every success and recommend her attitude to all those who feel that they have suffered more than the Biblical job and thus feel like giving up on life.

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