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 At 18, a quiet, introverted girl entered the Femina Miss India Contest to have some fun.She walked away with 3 titles – Miss Beautiful Smile, The Sony Viewers’ Choice Award and Femina Miss India-Asia Pacific. Not that Dia was complaining.
Life has changed in the 10 months since she won the Femina Miss India-Asia Pacific Crown. She has had to make choices over what most 18-year old girls are taken for granted – parents, education and paying bills.
As a career move, the Hyderabad girl shifted to Mumbai, away from home and family. Compromises have been difficult, but necessary.
Like with her education, for one. She opted to do her First Year Bachelor of Arts via correspondence, but as the Miss Asia Pacific competition drew closer, juggling work, studies became close to impossible, specially with her assignments, travelling and training.
Dia says, "I am getting first-hand knowledge about the world and about people from my travels. Of course, when I come back I will resume my formal studies. But I don’t have any regrets right now."
She adds, "My carefree days are over. I have become responsible and busy."
Especially with all the training she has had to undergo. Sabira Merchant worked with her on her diction and etiquette, physical training was with Talwalkars, diet with Anjali Mukherjee, skin care with Dr. Jamuna Pai, hair and make-up with Bharat and Doris Godambe, and clothes from Ritu Kumar and Hemant Trivedi.
Dia is all prepared to hitch her wagon to a star. She is a young woman who is caring, sensitive, beautiful and loving.
She is also independent and armed with a mind of her own. And with everyone’s confidence and encouragement egging on her, Dia has a good chance of bagging a crown India hasn’t won in 25 years.
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 Interviews
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