When exam results were announced in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, topper Prachi Nigam expected it to be a cause for celebration.
The 15-year-old achieved 98.5 percent after competing against 5,500,000 other students.
However, the teenager’s moment of joy was marred by a flood of online abuse after her picture was posted on X with hurtful comments about her facial hair.
“However God made me, I am OK with it. For those who think there is a difference, it doesn’t matter. Even Chanakya (an ancient Indian polymath) was trolled and he didn’t care. Similarly, I don’t care and I will concentrate on my studies,” Prachi told Indian news agency ANI.
Prachi Nigam was the best in her exams and is celebrated
And this guy basically dismisses her performance to say that it doesn’t really matter because he doesn’t find her attractive. pic.twitter.com/zwk4NNNaqc
— AskAubry 🦝 (@ask_aubry) 22 April 2024
Bombay Shaving Company, a brand that specializes in personal care and grooming products, also released an ad expressing solidarity with Prachi, but faced criticism for capitalizing on the situation.
The ad said, “Dear Prachi, today they troll your hair, tomorrow they applaud your AIR.” But in smaller text below the ad, it said, “We hope you are never forced to use our razor.”
Many people denounced the abuse on social media and pointed out the double standards that young women and girls have to live with.
Her name is Prachi Nigam and she is the topper of UP Board High School.
It’s really very sad that the trollers are trolling her for her beard growth instead of acknowledging her academic achievements. She is a teenager.
Dear Prachi, every sensible person is with you. We are proud of you ❤️
Tears… pic.twitter.com/84utWddVB0
— Swati Dixit ಸ್ವಾತಿ (@vibewidyou) 27 April 2024
UP topper Prachi Nigam from India was relentlessly mocked by adults for her looks.
I wish people would understand that she is still a child. pic.twitter.com/la3abpj0xz
— Pessimist (@rues_blog) 28 April 2024
This video made my eyes water – partly because she is such a beautiful child, so developed in her mind, and also because of the resentment that the society we have become inspires. Those who mocked her because of her appearance deserve a special place in hell. #PrachiNigam https://t.co/AXrnCz4qO6
— Ananth Rupanagudi (@Ananth_IRAS) 27 April 2024
Prachi said no one in her immediate circle ever pointed out that there was anything wrong with her appearance and it “never bothered” her.
“It was only when my photo was published after the results that people started trolling me and then I became aware of the issue,” she told IANS.
However, she said she no longer pays attention to the comments.
“It’s a bad feeling, of course, but people write what they think and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“If I had scored less, I would not have reached the top and become famous. Maybe that would have been better,” she told BBC Hindi.
“People see girls with hair and think it’s weird because they’ve never seen anything like it,” she says. Prachi’s parents seem to have the same attitude as their daughter.
“There are all kinds of people in the society. Of course, we felt bad, but at the same time we are proud of our daughter who got the best marks,” said Prachi’s father, Chandra Prakash Nigam.
Later, Prachi says, she would like to continue her studies and become an engineer.
“What ultimately matters are my scars, not the hair on my face,” she said.
