An acid attack survivor has married her sweetheart after he stood by her throughout treatment, while her family disowned her.

Kavita Baruni, 26, from Lucknow, in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, married ‘love of her life’ Nitesh Verma, 27, after she was savagely attacked by a man she rejected.

Even though her family turned her back on her as she fought to bring her attackers to justice, Nitesh remained by her side.

The pair wed on April 17 surrounded by close friends and the medical team who helped her recover.

Acid attack survivor Kavita Baruni, 26, from Lucknow, in Uttar Pradesh, northern India, married her sweetheart Nitesh Verma, 27, after her family disowned her. Nitesh encouraged her to take her attacker to court after the acid melted her face, scalp, shoulder and hands

She was attacked by two boys in June 2012 after she rejected the advances of her neighbour Saif, 25. Kavita's parents told her if she was going to take her attacker to court, she could not live with them. Pictured, Kavita after she was attacked

She said: ‘It was the best day of my life. I’ve never felt so blessed. I married the man I have always loved and there’s no better feeling than that.

‘My attacker believed my life was ruined and no one would marry me but my husband never left my side and supported me throughout. I cannot ever thank him enough.’

Kavita met Nitesh in 2011 when the pair worked in an office together and they soon became partners.

Kavita met Nitesh in 2011 when the pair worked in an office together and they soon became partners. He encouraged her to speak out against her attackers

One of Kavita’s neighbours, Saif, 25, got jealous and the office worker was attacked by two men in June 2012.

Kavita was taken to a local government hospital where doctors confirmed the acid had melted away parts of her face, scalp, shoulders and hands.

She said: ‘I was devastated. It was a very dark time for me. I felt I had lost everything, even the hope to live. I remember the excruciating pain, but also the realisation that I had changed. I didn’t look like me anymore.

‘I started believing nobody would accept me, I distanced myself from Nitesh, I didn’t want anyone near me. But Nitesh refused to leave my side.

'During many difficult days he would still visit and spend his evenings and weekends with me. When I was down he’d encourage me to fight.’

Kavita reported her attackers to police after Nitesh encouraged her to speak out.

She said: ‘Nitesh made me fight for my rights and to get justice.

‘He made me realise I should not allow anyone to get away with this. I became determined to see my attackers behind bars.’

But Kavita's parents wanted her to stay inside and protect the family’s reputation.

She said: ‘My parents actually threw me out. The more I tried to get justice the more they were embarrassed of me.

'They said I should not step out anywhere, otherwise I’ll give the family a bad name in society, and they’ll be even more embarrassed.’

Saif was arrested in July 2012 and spent eight months in jail until he was released on bail. Kavita said her attacker used to threaten her when she would see him. She had three surgeries to reconstruct her face

Her parents told Kavita if she took the case to court then she should leave the house.

She said: ‘They told me to either die or leave the house. I’m glad I chose the latter.

'My husband has supported me always and he supported me with this decision also. I really do not know where I’d be without him.’

Nitesh’s family was also apprehensive about accepting Kavita into the family due to her condition, but she was soon welcomed in.

Saif was arrested in July 2012 and spent eight months in jail until he was released on bail.

Plastic surgeon Dr Vivek Kumar Saxena offered to treat her for free. He reconstructed her eyebrows, hairline and eyes from 2013 to 2015. Kavita married Nitesh on April 17

‘After he was released I used to still see him,’ she said. ‘He used to threaten me. Told me to take back the case or he’d do it again but I wasn’t scared of him. Nitesh got a lawyer for me and I fought for my rights.’

Kavita has had three surgeries to correct her facial disfigurements. Dr Vivek Kumar Saxena, a plastic surgeon, at Diva Clinic, in Lucknow, managed to transform her face after meeting in 2013.

He said: ‘Her face was badly damaged when I first met her, her eyebrows were gone and she’d lost her female hairline. And she was very depressed. Financially she was very poor so I offered surgery free of cost.

‘I did three operations on her. One in 2013 to reconstruct her eyebrows, second in 2014 to reconstruct her hairline and the third in 2015 to repair her eyes.

'Slowly I watched her confidence build. Her smile finally came back.’

When Kavita married Nitesh she missed the presence of her parents and felt a level of sadness they were not there to share her special day, even though her brother turned up.

‘I still miss them,’ she said. ‘I wish I had their blessings in life but I have no regrets about my decision.’

Kavita is awaiting a date for an appearance at India's Supreme Court where she will face Saif again. She struggled to find people to help with the wedding as salons refused to do her make-up

Kavita struggled to find people to help her with her wedding initially. No make-up artist would do her make-up and salons refused to offer her any wedding packages.

‘It was hard for me to focus on looking beautiful for my wedding. My face has changed so much but I wanted to look the best I could.

'I eventually got ready at a beauty parlour, but so many rejected me. It was very hard to hear. But I looked good in the end.

‘I’ve started a new life now. But I want to encourage more women to stand up and fight for their rights.

'Many victims like me feel they want to die. That they can never marry. But we are not the criminals. We are the victim.

'We should not hide. We need to stand up for our rights…even if it means going against our family.’

It’s been four months since Kavita last faced her attacker in court.

She is now awaiting a date for an appearance at India’s Supreme Court where she will face Saif again.