'The determination to represent our country is strong when you've seen your dad serve the country.'
She's beautiful, articulate, confident and, now, she's Miss Teen Universe.
Nineteen-year-old Trishna Ray, a fashion technology student at the Kalinga Institute Of Industrial Technology in Bhubaneswar, won the crown at Kimberley, South Africa.
She did not let two missed opportunities -- in Columbia and the Dominican Republic -- due to visa complications faze her. Instead, she used the time to train and the result showed.
Her secret weapon, however, was... she reveals it in this conversation with Rediff.com's Srishti Sahoo.
Congratulations on winning Miss Teen Universe. What were the key factors that helped you excel in the competition?
I truly believe that the way I grew up led to a strong development of skills.
My dad is an army officer so I made sure that, with every new place I went to, I inculcated a new skill. All those tiny steps have let me towards the crown.
I will continue enhancing on them so that they continue to help me in life.
And, of course, hard work always pays off. Besides, you do see a lot of army kids win pageants.
What advantage do you think army kids have?
Punctuality and discipline are inculcated in us from a young age; this provides us with a strong base when it comes to beauty contests.
Also, the determination to represent our country is strong when you've seen your dad serve the country.
That's why you will see a lot of people from army backgrounds participating in pageants.
How did you stay upbeat through the visa issues?
The visa issue was a challenge that I faced for two years. It was very hard to get and not just in India; a lot of other countries also faced this.
I didn't feel bad about it because I knew it was not in my control; it was purely circumstantial.
My parents were very supportive and kept me motivated.
I got my visa only because of my dad; he contacted every person he could just to get it. Luckily, we got the visa one day before I had to leave.
When you face such challenges, strong family support definitely helps.
As you prepped for the international contest, how did you up your game? What did you do differently compared to what you did when you were contesting in India?
There are a few things you need to keep in mind when you're preparing for an international pageant.
The first is that every international pageant has its own criteria when it comes to what they are looking for in a winner and what they want their winner to be able to do in the year of their reign.
While I was waiting for the visa, I used the time to analyse what the Miss Teen organisation wanted from me and how I could do better since I had an additional year to prepare.
I left no stone unturned and worked on each aspect of my personality.
I used my summer break to complete my acting course from the Underpalm Care Studio. I tried to perfect my dancing and speaking skills.
I resumed my training at the Tiara Pageant Studio and it gave me a very clear-cut vision as to what I have to achieve.
Because I was so thoroughly prepared, I was able to have a lot of fun at the competition.
What was it like travelling to another country? Have you been abroad on your own? If not, how difficult was it to adjust?
I have actually never stepped out of India.
This was my first time travelling abroad and I was doing it alone because we had visa issues.
Honestly speaking, I was very focused on the fact that I was going to participate in a pageant; nothing else mattered.
It was a win-win situation; not only did I get to represent my country but I also learned to travel alone outside the country.
How did you maintain a sense of authenticity, to stay true to yourself and stay calm when you were in a competitive environment with so many other young women?
The thing about pageants is you only have a high chance of winning if you are confident and true to yourself.
If you're trying to be somebody else, you cannot fake it for a very long time.
People would fall in love with me because of who I am on the inside rather than on the outside. This is the reason I could create sisterhood bonds in those 10 days.
If you could see the video where India is being announced as the winner, you would see my Miss Teen Universe contestants shed happy tears for me.
My advice would be: Stay authentic, it is the one thing that can make you win.
Winning an international title at a young age comes with a lot of responsibilities. How do you plan to handle the expectations?
Luckily, I did some time to prepare after I won my national round.
It does get a little difficult but I have tried to master time management. I try to balance my academics, my social media and the field of pageantry as well.
The one thing I'm going to keep in mind for the next year is to stay humble and kind. Someone once said to me: Wear the crown on your head but don't let it go to your head.
I wish to keep working hard and earn fame and goodwill for India.
Who is your beauty idol?
Sushmita Sen. I watched her winning her pageant many times because my mother replayed it often. That is how she began seeing that dream for me.
I am grateful to God that I got the opportunity to not only represent India but also to win.
Sushmita is a humble queen who has, over the years, stayed true to her social purpose. She motivates me to do much more for society.
How has the beauty pageant experience enriched you?
The one thing that I learned when I was there was that language is not really a barrier anymore. You can communicate even though you speak different languages.
All of us who were competing there came from different backgrounds. Some people could not speak English, some could not speak Spanish, some could not speak English very well yet we all found ways to communicate.
Apart from that, I have learned a lot from each of the contestants. They have been such wonderful support throughout the 10 days.
Now that you're back home, what are you looking forward to? Any food indulgences?
I never really restricted myself when it comes to food.
I avoid junk food because you can eat as many home-cooked meals as you want.
I do look forward to having a full cheat meal week, trying out all the desserts that I've been waiting to sample. Then, I'll get back on track (smiles).
What commitments do you have as the newly crowned Miss Teen Universe?
As of now, none.
I've been given a week or two to relax by my team; they want me to have a full-blown homecoming (smiles) and spend time with my family.
Apart from that, I have my exams coming.
Your parents have played a big role in your success. What advice or guidance did they give you?
The only reason that I have become someone who's outgoing and willingly participates in things is because of my parents.
They introduced me to skills like dancing, singing and public speaking and other activities like sports from a very young age.
My mother made sure I started learning Bharata Natyam at the age of three; my first on-stage performance was a year later
I had no stage fear because the stage was a familiar place from a young age.
For the talent show, I could showcase my dancing.
My singing added to my voice modulation.
Each skill contributed to my growth as a person and gave me the confidence to be articulate in my opinions.
Are you planning to get into movies or modelling?
If I am destined to, I definitely will.
I have been dabbling in freelance modelling since a year because I wanted to gain stage presence.
Will my life take me towards acting? I don't know yet. But I am genuinely interested in it.
What advice do you have for other young girls and how should they be more confident in themselves?
The key to being confident is believing in yourself. Don't fall prey to other peoples' expectations; especially those who have no idea of the path you've walked and the challenges you have faced.
If you let people get into your head, it will take away your self-confidence.
Allow your parents have a say in your life as long as you're at a certain age. Remember, your family will always want the best for you.
Also, I truly want young girls to believe in themselves and in their dreams.
Convince your parents about why you think your dream is really worth it. When they believe in your dreams, you become unstoppable.
Your parents' support is the biggest thing that you can have in your life. I am grateful that I have it; that's why I had the opportunity to actually go to South Africa.
