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UTTKARSHA SHEKHAR uttkarsha.shekhar@firstindia.co.in

Priya Agrawal is a rising star in the world of beauty pageants and modelling. With her stunning looks, impressive communication skills, and strong determination, she has made a name for herself in the industry and has won the hearts of many.

Priya's journey into the beauty pageant industry began at a young age when she was inspired by watching beauty queens on national television. With the support of her family, she pursued her dream and started participating in local pageants and ramp shows. Despite facing initial resistance from her father, Priya contin- ued to work hard and eventually won him over with her dedication and success in the field, while describing her journey she said, "In 2019, I did my first National Pageant called Miss Teen India International by Glamanand group. I got selected from Mumbai Auditions as a national Finalist among the top 32 contestants from all across India and now I am associate with Elite Miss Rajasthan."

One of Priya's biggest strengths as a beauty pageant contestant is her ability to balance the physical demands of pageant preparation with maintaining a healthy mindset and self-esteem. Despite facing criticism early on for being skinny, she focused on making healthy food choices and following an exercise routine that kept her fit and healthy. “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Jagdeesh sir and Gaurav Gaur for being the ultimate support system to my dreams."

In addition to her physical preparation, she also believes in the im- portance of embodying diversity and inclusivity in her work. Through her involvement in the beauty pageant industry, she hopes to be a strong voice for the unheard segments of society and uplift social causes.

When it comes to handling criticism and negative feedback, Priya turns to her mother for support. She does not take negative feedback as a personal attack and instead refocuses her thoughts to maintain her confidence and selfesteem. She also seeks out positive people who can boost her morale and confidence, the diva said, "My mother has always been my biggest supporter who boosts my morale and confidence. Being in the field of Modelling is not easy because there is so much negativity around us all the time based on how we look or what we wear. I try not to take this negative feedback as a personal attack. I make sure to refocus my thoughts so that this negativity does not affect me much where I can boost my self-esteem."