Page 16 - MASALA LITE ISSUE 80 | MAY 2017

16 COVERED

CLAIMING THE

CROWN

Winner of Mrs. India-Thai 2017,

Anjana Ghogar steps out of her

comfort zone.

BY GURLEEN KHANIJOUN CHAWLA

When Anjana Ghogar accepted the crown during the Mrs. India-Thai 2017
competition, no one was surprised by her victory. Confi dent, charming and clever,
this 48 year old embodies all the qualities of a winner. However, she is more than
just a pageant contestant, for behind this delightful woman lies a passionate IB
Biology teacher with dreams that are yet to be fulfi lled. As she coyly says,
“Don’t let this grey hair fool you. I am a combination of diverse natures.”

What inspired you to compete for the Mrs. India-Thai 2017 title?
I like to add excitement to my life. I like to be part of group projects that
empower me and help me become a better version of myself.

What were you hoping to gain from this platform?
It is funny, but at my age I feel more ready to fulfi ll my dreams than ever, one
of which involves acting in fi lms. I felt that this platform was apt for me to
announce it to the world, in hopes that someone would take me seriously.

How did you personally prepare for the competition?
I became more careful about my exercise and diet. I watched a lot of previous
pageant Q & A sessions to get a feel of how to answer and how not to. I also tried
watching news clips, but soon realised that my mind is not programmed to record
topics that don’t help my physical, mental and spiritual growth, especially if it is
out of my control. Watching news clips is a long-term training of the mind and I
didn’t want to do it just to sound smart and up to date.

Despite doing your homework, were there any challenges that you
couldn’t evade on stage?
One of the challenges was to make a speech in 30 seconds — to make a genuine
point about myself that was interesting. Wearing four-inch heels during the
catwalk was a killer, while wearing an off -shoulder dress was something out
“During the ramp walk, I of my comfort zone. However, when my family and husband, who are my true
critics, supported me, I found the courage to wear it and ended up loving it.
could hear my heart beat It was a totally new look!
and it made me feel alive What was the highlight of the whole competition?
Meeting 24 women from various Indian communities and walks of life, and
and youthful.” connecting with like-minded people. There was healthy competition between
us, as everyone worked on improving themselves, while helping each other
overcome our fears and inhibitions.

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