Dipti Sharma, a 20-year-old girl from Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, will represent India at the world finale of prestigious Elite Model Look 2015, to be held in Milan this year. The achiever writes her thrilling account for Born of Web
Dipti Sharma couldn’t control emotions after clinching the title
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other” – Abraham Lincoln
Standing aloof at a railway station in Delhi, I was desperate to go back to my hometown, Rudrapur, in Uttarakhand. I was depressed, dejected and had already imagined how my dreams were going to shatter once I resume my normal life back home. More troubling was the fact that I had no reservation in the train and had to board general boggy. To distract myself, I took the mobile phone out of the bag at the platform and noticed two missed calls from the organisers of Max’s Elite Model Look India 2015. I had cleared the Mumbai edition of Elite’s hunt on September 12 but couldn’t participate in the national audition in Delhi the very next day. The reason I held back in Mumbai was the finale of another competition, The Times of India‘s College Princess, for which I was preparing for the past many days. Until that day, that campus competition was the only ray of hope in my modelling career.
Finally, I had not won the title but they called me ‘Ms Runway’. Judges told me that my face was not Indian enough to win that competition, which is like a wild card entry to Miss India contest. So I felt like an ultimate loser… Both, College Princess and Max’s Elite Model Look India had slipped from my hand.
But the phone calls from Elite agency got me curious. When I dialled them back, they told me that international model Jennifer May Cope, who had come for Mumbai leg of Elite Model Look India, was quite impressed by me. So they wanted me to compete at the finale as a wild card entry! They believed in me more than I do. They said I had got everything to be an international supermodel. Just to put it on record, Elite has been my favourite model agency and I had always dreamt to work with them. I was on cloud nine when I received their call. I started jumping and dancing at the railway station, leaving other passengers amused.
The finale took place in Delhi. It was a cut-throat competition as many other female models already had terrific work experience and industry training. I had never participated at any fashion show before. All I had done was ramp walk at college competitions. I was unsure but somehow wanted to give my best.
When judges announced my name as the winner, I couldn’t control my emotions. My family was present right there and tears kept rolling down my cheeks for many hours. It was a dream come true.
Now I am focussed and determined to make my country proud in the world finale of Elite Model Look 2015 which is to take place in Milan later this year. Besides, I have already got a three-year contract with the agency. This competition has definitely opened gates for me and ignited hopes for several other girls, who want to achieve their modelling dreams but have no backup. I come from a humble family and nobody ever forayed into glamour industry. I hope to break the mould and leave footprints as a remarkable international supermodel. Not many Indians girls have made it big internationally for many seasons. I hope to set the trend.
