Sravan Threerthala was attacked in 2009, during a spate of violent assaults and robberies on Indian students in Melbourne.
“It's my second life, so can someone imagine someone has got a second life. So 100 per cent I'm lucky,” a now recovered Mr Threerthala told SBS News.
The attacks even prompted then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to admonish the acts of violence during a visit to the sub-continent.
Sravan Threerthala was attacked in 2009. Source: Supplied
“They have been criminal attacks targeting Indian students for the little money they earn to support their studies - these attacks will not be tolerated” Mr Rudd told a press conference in India in 2009.
But despite his own experience, Mr Threerthala takes exception to those who declare his adopted country “racist”.
“I believe that Australia is not at all a racist country," he said.
"Now I stood here I am working, I got married, I got my family here, so that's what I feel. I blame that individual person but not the country.”
His work as an employment consultant for the resettlement agency AMES enables Mr Threerthala to help other migrants navigate Australia’s labour market.
And his employer says his own inspirational story helps in the day-to-day work, too.
“He can use that story to say, 'this is what happened to me but I didn't give up, I carried on, I was two years in rehab, I did all of that and here I am still working to make sure I can contribute to the Australian community and that's what you can do too,'” AMES Chief Executive Cath Scarth said.
And Mr Threerthala says he has a clear view on racism around the world.
“It's the same planet human beings are living, so just take off the word called racism from the planet,” he said.
