After losing her eyesight to a life-threatening tumour at age 11 and facing harsh societal judgment, Goyal overcame every hurdle to pursue her passion. Now living independently in London and studying fashion management, she actively advocates for accessibility and student life through her content platform. In an exclusive conversation, Goyal spoke to Hindustantimes.com about her battle with cancer, overcoming doubt, and achieving total independence abroad.
“I made myself a promise — I would never cry over it again, and I would prove every one of them wrong,” recalled 20-year-old Ashka Sunil Goya, who defied all the odds to make her dream come true.
“In Mumbai, we went from hospital to hospital. The tumour was sitting in my nasal cavity, pressing on my optic nerves. Back home, people were saying, ‘Bring her back. Let her die peacefully in her own bed. We are going to save her. All of us. That turned it into a fight. “Eventually, I went back to a mainstream school and learned to use a laptop with a screen reader. That night I cried, and then I made myself a promise — I would never cry over it again, and I would prove every one of them wrong. “I found Fashion Management and set my sights on the London College of Fashion. Now based in the UK, she manages her daily routine entirely on her own terms. She continues to share her story publicly to inspire others and raise awareness.
I was given 15 days to live. Because i was a girl and blind, “Socially, relatives said things directly in front of my family: that I was a burden, that no one would marry a blind girl, that my life was finished simply. Because i was blind, a teacher once told me in front of my whole class that I couldn’t study fashion.
Every surgeon we met said the surgery was too risky. My chachu [Uncle] stood up and said, ‘We are not giving up. One day, my science teacher asked the class what we wanted to study, and when I said ‘fashion,’ she told me in front of everyone, ‘You can’t study fashion, you are blind. My dad said yes, but asked me to first prove I could live independently — so I moved to Mumbai alone for 11th and 12th grade, did internships, built a portfolio, and got in. “Today I’m a student at LCF, living alone in London, cooking my own meals, getting around with my cane, studying on my laptop and phone, and telling my story publicly.”
