"When I received my first official email from the World Supermodel (India) team, I was…ecstatic and had no idea what was coming up, I never knew how huge(ly) this would impact my life,” gushed 18-year-old Ashoi Dantra about her winning the World Teen Supermodel India title at the finals in Bombay on August 26, 2018. The K. C. College student in the first year of her science graduate program described her journey to the title in a phone interview with Parsiana on October 6. Mother Ruksshana brought Ashoi’s win to Parsiana’s notice via an email on October 3. "After the win we were all so busy making preparations for Vietnam,” where she will participate in the 11th Annual World Supermodel platform this November, Ashoi explained.
The teenager described the last few moments before winning the award: "I prepped myself with a pep talk to myself. I told myself that if I could make it to the top 20 out of the 1,200 entries, I could also win it. I gave my 100% on stage… I wished everyone a silent ‘good luck.’ After all the sub titles were given, I stood there nervous and anxious as to what would happen next…When my name was announced as World Teen Supermodel India…I looked at my parents in the crowd… and saw my father giving me a 1,000-watt smile with a thumbs up while mother was crying tears of happiness.”
Ashoi Dantra, teen super model, inset and above (center); alongside (foreground, ext l)
with parents Ruksshana and Burzein and siblings Anaushka and Keyan
To Ashoi, the win has given "a feeling of pride you cannot imagine. I feel happy enough to tell people about it, humble enough to not boast about it and yet responsible enough to learn from the mistakes I made…Winning the title has given me a sense of pride and responsibility. It is an absolute honor to represent such a vast, beautiful, multicultural country.”
Preparations had begun a month prior to the pageant. "We had a two-day boot camp in Khandala and Lonavala” which comprised photo shoots, CrossFit (workout) and grooming sessions, Ashoi noted. When she met her fellow contestants, she was "overjoyed to see how friendly…they were…Everyone got along well and we had fun together.”
Parents Ruksshana and Burzein, twin sister Anaushka and brother Keyan, Ashoi noted, "have been extremely supportive, specially my mother whose efforts are commendable.” A model for 15 years now, Ashoi has participated in advertising campaigns for garment brands Pantaloons and Levi’s, telecom giant Vodafone, food company Britannia and retailer Vijay Sales. Brand ambassador for two years for clothing company Tiny Girl and for Crossword Bookstore, she noted that "I have also done more than 75 commercials and two television serials.” Ashoi and Anaushka appeared in the Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan starrer Guru (see "Twin tales,” Parsiana, December 21, 2010).
The pageant’s website notes that Siddhi Gupta was crowned as World Supermodel India 2018 while Richa Sinha and Mitali Gupta were crowned as World Supermodel South Asia 2018 and World Teen Supermodel South Asia 2018.