Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; December 30, 2018)

On September 22, Tahira Kashyap Khurrana, posted on Instagram about being detected with breast cancer. With a picture that showed her in hospital scrubs, and holding surgical drains in both hands, she said, "I was detected with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) in my right breast with high grade malignant cells. Simply put stage 0 cancer/pre-cancerous stage, with cancer cells multiplying in a contained area." She got a mastectomy done, but spoke about it in a light-hearted way. "The result? I have become a half, Indian version of Angelina Jolie, who had a double mastectomy."

When we speak to her, she is exactly like the bundle of positivity she comes across on social media. "The other day, my mother said, 'Oh, what a tough year.' And I said, 'No, this has been such a beautiful year,'" says the 35-year-old director, married to actor Ayushmann Khurrana.

"I am so grateful I got detected early. And now, I am getting an opportunity to spread awareness about the disease through Instagram. I know social media can be time-consuming, but I use it selflessly and selfishly. People relate to what I am going through and I am happy I can spread hope, but after hearing so many experiences, I feel better about my life, too."

Khurrana, who also credits her daily habit of Buddhist chanting for giving her strength, thinks that having cancer has helped her know how significant she is. "The world needs me, and you. And despite the chemo, in my head I have already dealt with it." At the end, Khurrana says it's also about relying on your solid foundation, which is family and friends. "I never thought I could be like this. I now know this is my mission - to spread awareness and hope - and I will do the best I can."