Newly crowned Miss India aims for the sky

A Business Studies graduate, Aditi Arya feels beauty pageants accord instant empowerment


Ians March 31, 2015
Aditi’s focus is the Miss World contest but she won’t deny the opportunity to work in Bollywood. PHOTO: FILE

MUMBAI: Aditi Arya, the proud winner of this year’s Femina Miss India World crown, said she always wanted to represent India on an international platform which is what inspired her to compete in a beauty pageant.

The 21-year-old Gurgaon-based model, who will represent India at the Miss World 2015 pageant, was enthroned at the 52nd edition of the beauty pageant on Saturday at the Yash Raj Films Studio by reigning queen Femina Miss India Koyal Rana.

A Business Studies graduate from the University of Delhi, Aditi is currently working as a research analyst with an audit firm. She’s also involved with non-profit group Protsahan, which aims at empowering underprivileged adolescents. She credits her friends with persuading her to participate in the beauty pageant.

“I had always thought of representing India at an international level, if not through a beauty pageant, then through other platforms, such as business conferences, conclaves, events,” said Aditi.

“I knew that I wanted to get there, some place where I make a statement and it becomes India’s statement. To decide if it was through the beauty pageant route or some other route -- that was encouraged by my friends,” she added.

Having worked in the corporate sector, she feels beauty pageants accord instantaneous empowerment and a platform to be heard, as opposed to the former.

“In a corporate environment, you climb up that ladder very slowly and you have to really make an effort to be heard. So empowerment comes at a very slow pace, but the beauty pageant propels you forward instantly,” said the newly-crowned Miss India.

Admitting that her family was flabbergasted when the news was broken to them, she said, “They were surprised. They never really bound me by expectations and always told me that I have their unending support.”

“When I won, initially I did not know how happy they were but then I saw their teary eyes and I just knew that they’re really proud of me,” she added.

Aditi hopes to pursue further studies in the business arena. She accredited learning for her achievements, saying, “I had two keys to success. One was to be my natural self and the other was my willingness to learn. For me, learning never stops.”

Asked if she’d consider a career in Bollywood, Aditi said, “For me, the focus is the Miss World crown as of now, but I’m not the kind of a person who denies opportunities. I try everything and then I decide what works for me and what doesn’t. If in future it strikes me then I’ll try and experiment.” The grand finale of the Femina Miss India 2015 pageant, judged by eminent personalities from the film industry like John Abraham, Manisha Koirala, Sonu Nigam, Anil Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Sonali Bendre, Shiamak Davar and Chitrangada Singh, will telecast on April 5. 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1st, 2015.

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