In his trial by Fire.

By Pooja Prabbhan Srijith & Ayush Madan

There are myriad ways to find your purpose. But Anant Kothari, Director at Anan Jewels, chose to do so by finding meaning through his scars from an accidental burn—transmuting a childhood mishap into an opportunity to empower and aid those who are battling similar conditions through his eponymous non-profit foundation, Anan Foundation. “What usually happens with burn survivors is after the first interaction, you’ve met them, then you kind of realise: hey, it’s just a regular person. And that’s pretty much what I’m striving for — to normalise it in whatever capacity possible,” begins Anant. In a freewheeling interview, we get the 30-year-old entrepreneur to drop deeper insights into the things that matter most to him: raising awareness on causes he cares about and thriving at a family-run diamond jewellery business that he’s grown to love over the years.

Take us through your journey. A little information on your background.

I’m a pretty regular guy, born and raised in Thailand. I was burned in an accident when I was three years old. I was wearing a costume that caught fire, which left scarring on my face and arms. Being so young, I do not remember the incident, so most of what I know comes from what my parents have told me.

When I was younger, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. Thus, at 18, I decided to take some time off, travelled the world, and realised that I wanted to do something meaningful in the education sector. I also came to know that the most important educational institutions were built by people from business backgrounds. So, the best way to achieve my goal was to join the family business. Through this journey, I realised the more time and care you spend working on something, the more you love it. This has been my case. As much as I was intrigued by the industry, I can say that it wasn’t until I invested adequate amounts of time that I became as passionate as I am today.

You’ve played an active role in helping burn victims through your foundation. Could you please share what inspired you to work on an admirable initiative and why it’s so close to your heart?

As a burns survivor I feel a sense of duty to help others in need. As I grew older, I learned it’s not something to hide or run away from. Rather, it’s my duty to educate people about burns. People who experience acid attacks and burns of different degrees have often shut themselves out of the external world. I’m fortunate to have the access to turn my life around, go about my life, meet people, and learn more along the way. It’s important to make use of my voice and power to help and make a difference to those who aren’t able to. And that’s what directed me to build the foundation. On the one side, we should raise awareness and, on the other side, offer financial aid to those who aren’t able to afford the treatments.

That said, the first interaction is always the most difficult because people have this thing called the scarcity mindset. There’s only so much that a person can think about in their head. And if one of those things you’re interacting with someone is about, oh, why do they look different? Or what’s that scar on their face, then it limits the conversation that you can have. What you want is just for somebody not to notice it, and you can go through a regular life. It’s ironic that we are discussing this, because it might make people think about scars more, like if I told you don’t think about dolphins, you will think about it more.

How do burns impact your personal life?

When people see a face with scars for the first time, this takes time to process. The visuals can be surprising at first for most people. Luckily, after a few meetings, the scars become less noticeable. Our brain stops seeing them. Occasionally, we face odd remarks like:

“Why do you look different?” I was burned in a fire at age 3.
“Does it hurt when touched?” No, it’s like normal skin, just textured differently.
“Is this contagious?” No, it’s just a scar.
“Nice Halloween costume, looks very realistic!” Thank You!
The last one was a joke, but the accident definitely made me more introverted as a person and more comfortable around people I’ve known for a long time.

How does your organization support burn survivors in their recovery and reintegration journey?

On the medical side, the foundation focuses on improving the quality of life for burn survivors. There are two sides to this. First, we provide financial support to survivors to give them access to treatment. We do this by collaborating with organisations in India that run surgical camps, sponsoring their efforts. These camps provide treatments like skin grafts and other reconstructive procedures for individuals who cannot afford them. The second is raising awareness of what burns are so that society becomes more comfortable with it.

What role does mental health support play in a burn survivor’s recovery process?

Mental health is extremely important for everyone. Burn survivors face additional obstacles like stares or inappropriate comments, which can affect their self-esteem. Furthermore, relationships can also be tricky, including dating and marriage. Burn survivors struggle with confidence and may face rejection due to their appearance. This is an area where mental health professionals can offer crucial support, helping survivors navigate these challenges and adapt to life with burns.

For me, having my accident at an early age meant I did not remember the incident, so I did not have to deal with PTSD. But for those burned later in life, the adjustment is much harder because they must cope with the loss of their pre-burn identity.

I’m grateful to have very supportive parents and two wonderful sisters. I also adore my childhood friends. Anytime I have odd, weird questions, I’m very lucky I can reach out to them. I think it’s crucial to have a support system that you can fall back on. The ones you can turn to, for crises of any kind.

Can you tell us about the science of treating burn scars?

When an individual sustains a major burn, it is crucial to seek immediate care at a hospital with an experienced burn unit. The initial hours and days are critical for ensuring proper treatment and minimizing complications.

• There are a variety of treatments available, and each scar is unique, requiring a customized approach.
• While there is no formula to completely heal scars yet, various treatments can significantly improve their appearance and functionality.
• An experienced reconstructive surgeon is the best person to create an individualized treatment plan.
• These can involve skin grafting or other scar revision techniques to improve skin functionality and aesthetics by transferring skin from one area of the body to another.
• After surgery, laser treatments and fat grafting can be used to enhance the skin’s healing process.
• Finally, some people prefer using specially designed makeup products to conceal scars.

While there is no single “magic bullet” to completely heal scars, research in the field of tissue engineering offers hope for new advancements in scar healing and skin regeneration.

For more information on how to support burn survivors, email us at :
admin@ananfoundation.com or visit our website at www.ananfoundation.com