Bullied for His Face, Refused Service — Yet Unbroken
From brutal childhood bullying to being refused service in a London café, Amit Ghose, 35, from Birmingham, has faced relentless discrimination because of his appearance.
Born with Neurofibromatosis Type 1, a condition that causes non-cancerous tumors to grow along nerves, Amit has spent much of his life dealing with stares, pointing, and cruel comments.
He recalled one recent incident in a coffee shop:
“Everyone was staring at me, and it was like they’d almost seen a ghost. The person serving said, ‘Oh, we’re not serving anymore,’ then turned around and walked off, but clearly, they were still serving.”
Turning Pain Into Purpose
After years of struggling with depression and anxiety, Amit has now learned to embrace his difference and is using his story to help others.
He speaks at schools across the UK, encouraging children to “celebrate who they are” and “embrace their unique personalities”.
A particularly cruel encounter in a park pushed him to take action.
“A couple of individuals came over asking about my face. I thought they were curious, but they started laughing, saying, ‘If I had a face like you, I wouldn’t come out of the house’. That really upset me. I thought, I need to do something. Now is the right time.”
That moment inspired him to write and self-publish a children’s book titled Born Different, aimed at teaching self-acceptance and kindness.
A Lifetime of Challenges
Amit’s journey hasn’t been easy. He had his left eye surgically removed at age 11, leading to further disfigurement and even more bullying.
He vividly remembers one Halloween when a classmate said,
“You don’t need a Halloween mask, you’ve got one for life.”
The comment “broke” him, he says. For years, he hid the left side of his face and avoided mirrors.
“Other children not wanting to sit next to me or hiding behind their parents all had a mental effect on me,” he said.
Yet, his love for cricket became a turning point.
“Cricket helped me become Amit, the boy who plays cricket, not Amit, the boy with a funny face.”
Finding Acceptance and Sharing His Story
Amit credits his wife, Piyali, for teaching him the “art of acceptance.”
“She made me realize I had to accept myself before others could accept me,” he shared.
It was Piyali who encouraged Amit to start posting on TikTok, a platform he initially dismissed.
“I thought TikTok was all about dancing, but she convinced me. I said to the world: ‘I want to take you all on a journey to inspire you using my lived experiences.’”
Since early 2023, his message of courage and authenticity has resonated with millions. He’s now gained nearly 200,000 followers and millions of likes for his videos promoting self-acceptance.
“Helping people through social media has helped me accept myself. Now I say to the worldm this is me, take it or leave it.”
A New Mission: Inspiring Others
Leaving his law firm job behind, Amit has dedicated himself full-time to motivational speaking and advocacy. He’s also launching a podcast featuring guests with visible differences, including Oliver Bromley, who was once ejected from a restaurant for “scaring customers.”
“Disability or no disability, visible difference or not, we all have insecurities”, Amit said.
“If we truly celebrate who we are and fall in love with ourselves, we can be more confident.”