Burn survivor, model and body positivity advocate Neha Baig from Ponda, who will speak at TEDx Panaji Salon today, tells NT BUZZ how she prevails despite the obstacles in her path and society’s judgement
CHRISTINE MACHADO | NT BUZZ
Neha Baig has been on tenterhooks ever since she was chosen to give a Tedx Talk at the TEDx Panaji Salon that will be held today at the S. S. Dempo College Auditorium, Cujira. “It was quite overwhelming at first because I have a fear of public speaking,” she admits. In fact, she states, she was not expecting to be a part of the event to begin with. “I had only contacted them about the possibility of having my friend speaking at the event. But the organisers have made me feel very comfortable during the practice sessions and now I am quite excited for what will be an interactive session,”
she says.
And Baig, who hails from Ponda, has come a long way on her road to self acceptance after an extremely trying time back in 2007 when an LPG cylinder blast left her with severe burns and battling in the hospital for over a year. The struggle only continued after she was discharged from hospital as it took her another two years to be able to get out of the house and face people confidently again.
“I went through a lot of depression but I think what helped me was my never-give-up attitude. I decided to be brave. That strength was also compounded by my father’s support,” she recalls.
With time, Baig also stepped onto the fashion ramp. “It began when I was approached to walk the ramp as a body positivity icon,” she recalls. More requests soon began pouring in. In 2025, she participated in Miss Goa 2025. In the same year she was also crowned Indian Fashion Icon 2025. She has also been honoured as a Social Warrior for redefining beauty standards at a Women’s Day event held at the Pradhan Mantri Bhavan in New Delhi.
“While there are many who have appreciated me, I do get negativity too. But walking the ramp has given me confidence, to meet new people and share my journey, and also a chance to help people,” she says. Besides, she adds that she doesn’t care when people judge her because there are others who love and care for her.
In fact, Baig has become a role model for many young girls and women too who approach her for advice. “There are many girls who reach out to me saying that I have given them motivation. They tell me that if I can do it, so can they,” she says. “One cancer survivor too told me that because of me she has now entered a beauty pageant herself.”
For Baig, who once upon a time was struggling to fight her fears and the negative thoughts in her head, she confesses that she feels nice to now be an inspiration for others. “It makes me realise that maybe life has more in store for me too,” she says.
It was this precisely that also led her to say yes to being a part of TedxPanaji. “I decided to try and fight this fear of speaking in public. And just maybe, this opportunity could lead to something more in future,” says the body positivity advocate, who is a computer engineer by profession but is presently handling social media marketing projects alongside her influencing and modelling roles.
“I want to be someone that people will remember as being unique and who never gave up,” she says, adding that she hopes that her Tedx Talk will also inspire all the people who hear her story. “Everybody has their own battles and instead of choosing to see their challenges as an end point, I hope that like me, they choose to not give up.”
