She was ridiculed for her skin tone and looks and was considered far from beautiful. When she decided to compete for Miss Pondicherryin 2022, she faced criticism, opposition, and ridicule from friends and relatives. However, San Rechal Gandhi stood her ground, believing that beauty is not skin deep. With the support of her family, she won the contest and will proudly participate in Miss Africa Golden 2023.Here’s an extract from an interaction with a girl who redefines beauty and its true meaning.

It is important to break unrealistic stereotypes when it comes to beauty. Tell us your views on the same.

My vision for the future is to create an environment that is free of any unrealistic standards and stereotypes of beauty. I wish to be in a position that changes the current perspectives of the modeling and beauty industry in our society. I believe that anyone can achieve their goals and dreams. The key ingredient is just to focus on yourself irrespective of what society says, irrespective of any obstacles or hindrances in your immediate external environment. I want to bring that kind of change and create a generation that focuses on achieving whatever they put their hearts into irrespective of colour, size, weight, and height, not just in the beauty industry but in all the others as well.

So did you face any roadblocks in walking on the untrodden path? Why did you choose modelling?

My inspiration for becoming a model came from Aishwarya Rai when I watched the movie ‘Jeans’. I remember being in seventh grade and couldn’t stop thinking about Aishwarya Ma’am being crowned as ‘Miss World’. As a teen, I was extremely curious and kept pestering my parents about the title and why no other person was given the same or addressed in the same way. My father sat me down and told me everything about the fashion and pageant industry. Since then, I was practically unstoppable and that dream has only grown bigger.

I recall the time I was in college and wanted to participate in a beauty pageant that was taking place in Karnataka. While my father and brother were extremely supportive of my ambition, it’s quite unfortunate that the rest of my family members and relatives seemed to look down upon the idea. As a result of the same, I was mocked by them on my colour, physical appearance, and how I didn’t fit the industry standard of being called a ‘model’. I believe that was the day when I ironed my will to become a fashion model and, in the process, inspired other individuals who have been insecure about their appearances to bring about a change in perspective of how society viewed models or anyone who aspired to be a model.
I won the title for the beauty pageant in Karnataka and did many pageants after that. I think this experience helped me truly accept and embrace myself, which gave me the confidence to perform better. So far, I have won four titles, have been runner-up for three, and have won seven awards in my eight-year-long career. My dream of seeing a dark-skinned model on national television was realized when I got an opportunity to model for a jewellery brand. I am truly grateful for my family and mentors who have supported me in my journey so far.

What kind of training routine and diet you are following to prepare for the upcoming Miss Africa Golden 2023 pageant?

My daily routine includes an hour of workout in the morning or evening depending on my daily schedule. I have allocated three hours of my day to practice and perfect my ramp walk. I have been paying close attention to my body language and have been preparing myself for question and answer segments of the pageant, followed by mock tests to ensure my knowledge is thorough. I have been especially particular about my nutrition, ensuring intake of the right amount of proteins and cutting out carbohydrates, sugar, and especially carbonated drinks.

Some of the styling tips and tricks that you want to share with our readers

I believe knowing about your body type is an absolute must. As I understand, the idea is to be fit and healthy as per your body type. Regardless of having a pear or an apple-shaped body, it is important to pay attention to being true to the shape and type of your body in order to adapt to any kind of accessory or attire. I spent a lot of time studying my body, gaining knowledge and it helped me in attaining an hourglass structure. In the fashion and modeling industry, it is critical to know yourself inside and out, it is the mindset that matters. Determination to present yourself in the right way is what one has to keep in mind at all times during pageants.

How do you like to unwind?

My hobbies include a wide range of activities like painting, singing, binge-watching crime thrillers, learning new recipes, etc. Recently, I have been enjoying singing quite a lot and have been experimenting with recording the covers of the songs that I like. Additionally, being a runway coach, I like to connect with aspiring models and provide guidance to them based on my experience and journey so far. This led me to create a coto community named ‘Pondicherry Queens’ wherein I help budding models navigate their way through the profession based on my experiences. To truly unwind, I love playing with my pets, I have six kittens and a dog. Someday in the future, I would like to run an animal shelter that promotes the adoption of Indian breeds.