San Rechal Gandhi, a rising Indian model and social media influencer, tragically passed away on Sunday at the age of 26, reportedly due to overwhelming financial stress.

According to police reports, San Rechal consumed a large quantity of tablets in an apparent suicide attempt. She was rushed to multiple hospitals, including a government and private facility, before being admitted to the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), where she was declared dead.

Authorities confirmed that the young model had been facing severe monetary difficulties. In a desperate effort to fund her modeling career, San Rechal had recently sold her jewelry. Just hours before her death, she visited her father seeking financial assistance, but he declined, citing obligations toward his son.

San Rechal had made a significant mark in the Indian fashion world. She won the title of Miss Pondicherry in 2022 and represented India internationally at the Miss Africa Golden pageant in 2023. Her accolades also included Miss Best Attitude 2019, Miss Dark Queen Tamil Nadu 2019, and Queen of Madras 2022.

Beyond pageants, she was recognized for her advocacy work, particularly promoting diversity in the modeling industry. San Rechal actively challenged beauty standards and pushed for the inclusion of models with darker skin tones. As a pageant coach and social media influencer, she inspired many young women to pursue their dreams without conforming to conventional norms.

Her sudden death has left the fashion and influencer community in shock, highlighting the immense pressure often faced by aspiring talents behind the scenes.