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In a tragic turn of events, 26-year-old model and social media influencer San Rechal Gandhi died by suicide in Puducherry on Sunday, July 13. The young trailblazer, known for challenging conventional beauty standards and honouring inclusivity, reportedly consumed an overdose of tablets and passed away at JIPMER Hospital after being transferred from two other medical facilities.Her untimely passing has shaken the modelling and fashion community, where she was seen not just as a beauty queen but as a changemaker.San Rechal's fight against colourismSan Rechal's journey in the beauty world was far from conventional. She made headlines not for fitting in but for standing out. With a dusky skin tone and bold presence, she broke into an industry that often correlated beauty with fairness and size-zero figures.She was "mocked by relatives and peers" for her complexion and looks, especially when she first expressed interest in participating in pageants. "I recall the time I was in college and wanted to participate in a beauty pageant that was taking place in Karnataka. While my father and brother were extremely supportive of my ambition, it's quite unfortunate that the rest of my family members and relatives seemed to look down upon the idea. As a result of the same, I was mocked by them for my colour, physical appearance, and how I didn't fit the industry standard of being called a 'model'," San Rechal shared in a past interview with the Times Of India.That very mockery, she said, it lit a fire within her to challenge societal standards. It became her mission to inspire others who were insecure about their appearance to reclaim their confidence.San Rechal believed deeply in the power of representation and self-worth. She envisioned a modelling world and a society where beauty had no colour bar, size limit, or shape constraint."My vision for the future is to create an environment that is free of any unrealistic standards and stereotypes of beauty," she said in the same interview. "I want to bring that kind of change and create a generation that focuses on achieving whatever they put their hearts into irrespective of colour, size, weight, and height—not just in the beauty industry but in all the others as well."Accomplishments that speak volumesHer vision was fulfilled with an array of accomplishments. She gained the titles of Miss Best Attitude 2019, Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu 2019, Queen of Madras 2022, and Miss Pondicherry 2022. In 2023, she represented India at the Miss Africa Golden pageant in South Africa, her biggest international recognition yet. Beyond modelling, San Rechal also founded Rose Noire Fashion Grooming, a platform through which she trained and inspired aspiring models to embrace their natural selves.