Ria Sharma, former BA (Hons) Fashion student has been listed as one of Forbes ‘30 Under 30 Asia’ for 2018 for her ground breaking work with her not-for-profit organisation Make Love Not Scars.
Now it its third year, the Forbes annual ‘30 Under 30 Asia’ list features 300 young innovators across 10 categories driving change across the region. Representing 24 countries across Asia-Pacific these finalists were selected from thousands of online nominations, all researched by a team of reporters and vetted by a panel of expert judges, before being awarded a spot on this prestigious list. Ria Sharma has been in listed in the Social Entrepreneurs category.
Ria founded Make Love Not Scars in her final year at Leeds Arts University after making a documentary about survivors of acid attacks. Make love Not Scars aims to support the rehabilitation of acid attack survivors physically and physiologically through the provision of medical, legal, educational and vocational assistance.
In 2017, Ria was awarded a United Nations Goalkeepers Global Goals Leadership Award, and the CNBC India Business Leader Award. She has also received the India Today Woman of the Year Award for Public Service and was awarded the British Council International Alumni Award for Social Impact in 2015.
Image: Ria Sharma (right) holds The Leadership Award with UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra after it was presented on Tuesday 19 September 2017 ©UNICEF/UN0123804/Pietrasik