It is to be noted that Pratyusha did her schooling from city’s Carmel Convent School, and then did her B Tech from Chitkara University. Later on she went to Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Hyderabad for her MBA.
Pratyusha said, “My mother has been a fighter and she is the one who gave me the courage to sign up for this pageant. I have imbibed her never say die instinct which stood me in good stead at the pageant. My brother is a Major in the Indian Army and has been a source of inspiration.”
Pratyusha said that she was able to come on top of the competition, due to her attributes of inner faith and unwavering strength, inherited from her parents and in-laws. Life hasn’t been easy for her. Pratyusha lost her father a few years ago. It was her mother, a cancer survivor, her husband and in-laws who provided a lot of support to Pratyusha in achieving her dreams of winning the pageant.
Talking about her husband and in-laws, Pratyusha said, “If girls are provided a support system from their family, they can achieve anything and everything. My husband and in-laws have encouraged me at every step. My parents (in laws) have been my biggest cheerleaders. They have so beautifully cherished my success as a winner”
Pratyusha said further, “Size shouldn’t be a parameter if a girl wants to follow her aspirations. We must really challenge societal standards surrounding beauty and promote body positivity and self-acceptance.”
According to Pratyusha, “Self-love in this day and age is really important, especially for young women who battle body consciousness on a daily basis because of the influencer culture and excessive body shaming on social media. When someone is ridiculed for their size, complexion, or other physical characteristic, it is imperative that the community as a whole rise up and respect each person’s physical and mental well-being. My voice is not just for ‘plus size’ it is for every body type that gets shamed over social media impacting the mental health of many individuals.”
Pratyusha added, “With my victory, I wish to inspire other ladies irrespective of their size. One shouldn’t tag any girl as ‘Plus size’ or ‘Zero Size’ etc. rather we have to be size inclusive where all body types, skin types and other physical attributes are respected.”
She hopes to inspire other girls by showing off her natural figure and sense of style as a plus size model. She believes that there is no better feeling than accepting all the flaws and insecurities one has regarding their body because that is what makes them unique. Her message to all the young girls is to never give up on their dreams and to embrace their true selves.
Pratyusha who is currently working as an e-commerce manager in Bangalore also gives credit for her victory to her mentor and guide Hardeep Arora. “It was under his training and guidance that I gained the confidence and courage to shine on the platform,” she said.
