Converting a dream into reality

Based in Hyderabad, Swapna Koripa, a mother of a 16-year-old daughter, coming from a conservative Hindu family, makes her way in the glam field.

Swapna, who holds a degree in mechanical engineering, is involved in multifaceted activities like she volunteers as a "margdarshak" for SCSC (Society for Cyberabad Security Council), which works for women safety in collaboration with Cyberabad Police, and she is also associated with a children's home housing 70+ kids in providing services and support to them whenever required.

Giving details about her entry beauty pageant, she says, "Way back in 2008, one of the leading showrooms in Hyderabad offered me a chance for saree modelling for their store, which I missed it because of personal problems.

Since then, whenever I saw an advertising hoarding, I always used to feel bad that I missed something (for almost 11 years). Recently, I discussed about what I missed with my daughter.

After which, she started encouraging me to give a try once again. After a lot of pursuing by my daughter, though I was not confident enough, I decided to give a try and started contacting ad agencies.

But, almost all the ad agencies were looking for famous personalities or a known face. To get fame, they suggested me to take part in beauty pageant for married women and that is how I came across Dazzle Beauty contest through Facebook.

I applied for it through SK Events headed by Suchitha Joshi."

Stressing out on her wonderful journey in the beauty industry, she said, "It was difficult in the initial days as I come from a conservative family and wearing traditional attire like sarees and chuddidars was a norm for married women.

So, I was not sure of myself to compete in a beauty pageant, also we rarely see Telugu married women participating in such pageants.

But Suchita Joshi, my organiser, took utmost care about me and made me feel comfortable with my participation. I stood as a winner of Dazzle Mrs South India World 2019 and then I moved into the national level competition.

In Dazzle Mrs. India World 2019, my initial standing postures were not good but by the third day, with the training I received, I felt comfortable.

While everyone was dressed up in western style, I was always in my traditional look. Though I felt little odd among them in the beginning, but later, I started feeling good for being myself, being confident and not comparing with anyone."

Regarding her training for the competition, she said, "The training basically was about ramp walk practice and being yourself and how well we can present ourselves and our inner beauty.

We rehearsed on presenting a confident ramp walk and what we talk on the stage. Photo posing and smiling were also part of the training."

Getting into the beauty industry is no game, one has to follow a certain diet and sacrifice many things

"Before I enrolled for this pageant, I never ever was on diet in my life. I am a foodie and love cooking.

I love eating and exploring different types of cuisine. I was 64 kg and was never worried about that too. But during preparation for this contest, I became conscious about my fitness.

It was my friends Sunita Thotakura and Suman Mallena, who gave me some tips on walking, stretching exercises and a little change in diet.

I used to go for 3 km walk daily and do a 10-minute stretching exercises. For my 3 times daily meal, I replaced rice with millets and quinoa and in between, had raw vegetables, detox water and fruits whenever I was hungry.

But let me tell you that this is not a criterion for the pageant at all because it has nothing to do with your outer look or your body measurements, it was all about the inner 'YOU'.

About the activities in the competition, she said, "There were different activities like ramp walk in traditional attire (saree with turban)-Rajashani style, cocktail round (western wear, red dress with boots) ramp walk, evening gown ramp walk and question and answer round.

Putting all out efforts physical and mental training for the pageant. And about four-day intensive training, eight hours per day, she achieved the impossible that she always dreamt of.

Dedicating her title to someone who is really special, she says, "As I told you the story, it was my daughter who encouraged me every day to chase my missed opportunity, so I dedicate this title to my only daughter Sri Nibha.

Regarding her social commitments after achieving her goal, she said, "Being a 'margadarshak', a volunteer of SCSC, I would like to create awareness about the programme and activities done by them among the citizens and bring in more margdarshaks so that they could help women in distress and nothing in life should stop them from living or achieving what they want. All I would say is "Give life to your dreams".

"I strongly feel to promote 'self-defence' as it is very important for every girl/woman for their own safety, so it would be good idea to make it mandatory extracurricular activity right from school itself."

What next:

I would like to achieve my missed opportunity of looking myself in a hoarding, so I am interested in saree and jewellery modelling, also do dubbing/ voice over in Telugu.

Promote Margadarshak programme and its activities.

And last but not the least, I will continue my support to the children's home that I am associated with for the past 7 years.