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Why this Kashmiri model at LFW is feeling homesick
Rouhallah Quazim, better known as Ghazi hails from Kashmir's Badgam district.
He is walking the runway for some of the greatest names in Indian fashion today.
But even as he takes his place under the spotlight, the heart of this young Kashmiri is miles away, pining for a place he calls home.
What would you do if you were in Kashmir right now?
Obviously it would be very cold and I would have been a part of family gathering.
We would call everyone home for a daawat(party) and then serve them the best wazwan (the best of Kashmiri cuisine), which tastes amazing when it is chilly.
How did you break into modelling?
Kashmir is not a hub for modelling I actually moved to Bangalore.
I was working in a hospital as a medical assistant when a fashion designer spotted me and suggested I become a model.
One of my friends introduced me to another designer, he liked me and gave me an opportunity to walk the ramp.
My first ramp show was for Prasad Bidappa (the man who discovered Deepika Padukone).
I worked as a model for two years in Bangalore and then moved to Mumbai.
After some ups and downs I participated in a Zoom TV contest in 2010 and was selected as the International Face of the Year.
Today I am very excited to be the only model this season from Kashmir to walk the ramp.
What is it like? Waking the ramp at LFW?
It is really awesome. And absolutely crazy!
On Day 2, I walked for six designers.
I was completely exhausted by the end of the day.
How is the fashion scene changing in Kashmir?
Kashmir itself is undergoing a lot of changes.
I am not saying it isn't a conservative society but small changes are being visible now
People are trying to change the way they dress and fashion their clothes.
Kashmir is evolving. It will take some time (for it to be at par with the rest of the country) but it will get there.
The youth is moving out, studying abroad and they return with a fresh view of the world.
When I go back home, my friends want to know so many things.
They want to know how to become a model; how to stay fit; how to style themselves; what is happening in India's metros.
The Kashmiri youth is becoming more aware than ever about the world outside.
What is secret behind your fitness…
I am a fitness freak.
I love going to the gym. But I hate lifting weights to tone my muscles.
I love to run and do lots of cardio.
I do yoga in the morning. I haven't been trained by professionals but I think it is a god's gift that I learn my yoga from Youtube.