Who was San Rechal Gandhi? Model-influencer dies by suicide
What's the story
San Rechal Gandhi, a 26-year-old model and social media influencer from Puducherry, died by suicide on Sunday. Known for her strong advocacy against colorism in the modeling and entertainment industry, she reportedly consumed an overdose of blood pressure tablets at her residence. Despite being rushed to Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and later the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, she couldn't be saved. A postmortem examination is scheduled for today. Here's everything to know about her.
Career highlights
Gandhi had won multiple titles
Gandhi started her modeling career at a young age, winning titles like Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu 2019 and Queen of Madras 2022. Gandhi had a successful career, winning several titles including Miss Pondicherry 2022 and Miss Best Attitude 2019. She also represented India in the Miss Africa Golden pageant in 2023. Apart from her modeling pursuits, she was a pageant coach with over 180K followers on Instagram. She last posted on the social media platform on May 31.
Personal struggles
Financial distress and possible marital issues
Gandhi was reportedly under severe financial distress. She had visited her father's house hours before her demise, seeking money. However, he denied her any financial assistance due to his responsibilities toward his son, said reports. In the months leading up to her death, she had also sold her jewelry to support her professional pursuits. She got married a year ago, and cops are probing whether marital stress was also a reason behind the suicide, reported Free Press Journal.
Mental health
Please seek help if you're having suicidal thoughts
If you or anyone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts, you can reach out to AASRA for suicide prevention counseling. Its number is 022-27546669 (24 hours). You can also dial Roshni NGO at +914066202000 or COOJ at +91-83222-52525. Sneha India Foundation, which works 24x7, can be contacted at +91-44246-40050, while Vandrevala Foundation's helpline number is +91-99996-66555 (call and WhatsApp).