Exclusive Interview with Aditi Shukla, The Tiara Queen by TGPC for November 2017
Aditi Shukla was crowned as the winner of 6th edition of The Tiara Queen by TGPC for November 2017 batch. She hails from Dehradun and is an Ex-winner of Miss Uttrakhand title. She got groomed under India’s No.1 Pageant mentor Ritika Ramtri last month for a 30 day course and battled out 15 other girls in the finale to claim the title of The Tiara Queen. TGPC got little candid with Aditi to understand her in depth as a person by the medium of this interview. Lets have a look at it.
TGPC: So Aditi, tell us something about yourself.
Aditi: Hello everyone. I am Aditi Shukla, born and brought up in the beautiful city of Dehradun. I am 20 years old. I completed my schooling from St. Joseph’s Academy and currently I’m pursuing my masters in English Literature. Having lived in the picturesque state of Uttarakhand all my life, I am a nature lover at heart. My hobbies include swimming, singing, writing and reading. I’m a firm believer in the saying, “A person who reads lives a thousand lives, while a person who doesn’t read lives only one.”
TGPC: How does it feel to be named as the winner of The Tiara Queen by TGPC 2017?
Aditi: It fills me with immense pleasure and pride to have just trained under someone as amazing as Ritika Ramtri ma’am. To also have won The Tiara queen by TGPC seemed to be the cherry on the cake and made me very happy and overwhelmed. The reason for this is that all the girls competing were stunning beyond measure and were witty as well and to have won among them wasn’t an easy task.
TGPC: You have been Miss Uttrakhand 2015 winner. Which one was tougher to win? Previous pageant or this pageant?
Aditi: I’d have to say that both the pageants were extremely challenging and interesting in their own way. Miss Uttarakhand was my first step into the world of pageantry and I had to transform myself from an overweight tomboy to a slim pageant girl, learn how to walk and talk like a beauty queen and be elegant in all my ways. On the other hand, The Tiara Queen by TGPC was tough in the sense that all the girls had been groomed and very well-trained by our mentor, Ritika Ramtri ma’am, and were exceptionally well-spoken and polished, which is why it was a challenging task to win it.
TGPC: What’s your opinion about Ritika Ramtri, who is often tagged as India’s No. 1 Pageant coach?
Aditi: Before my training at The Tiara Pageant Training Studio, I often wondered why all Tiara girls sang such high praises for Ritika ma’am, and even went on to say that she was like their godmother. But after having met her, and spent most part of a month with her, I completely understood the reason. She is an excellent teacher but she is an even better person. Her personality radiates positivity and she makes sure to include everyone and make each girl comfortable about herself. I consider myself very lucky to have had the honor and privilege to get to know her and train under her.
TGPC: Why did you decide to join The Tiara Institute?
Aditi: In 20 years of its existence, The Tiara Pageant Training Studio and Ritika ma’am have given the country about 150 winners. I feel that just the results go on to show how prepared and well-groomed Tiara girls are and that is why, the Tiara.
TGPC: Any embarrassing or funny moment at The Tiara while you were taking the course at the institute?
Aditi: My time at the Tiara will forever be a cherished memory and each moment I spent there is special to me. If I had to pick a funny memory it’d be the time when after my ramp walk practice, ma’am told me that my walk is absolutely wrong and I’ll have to work very hard to correct it. I was mildly surprised but the situation was funny because I was had been very confident about my walk and had expected ma’am to praise me. It did help me, though, because after numerous hours of practice, I managed to correct my walk.
TGPC: What are your future aspirations?
Aditi: I have nursed the dream of becoming a supermodel since my childhood but my parents once told me that it is much more important to be a role model than just a supermodel. And in my opinion, there is no better platform than a beauty pageant to make that a reality. My future aspirations are to succeed at an international level so that I may win laurels for our nation and make my parents and the country proud of me.
TGPC: You are 5’9” tall. Do you find it difficult to get guys asking your for a date?
Aditi: Haha. Not at all. I feel that height, weight and age are just numbers when it comes to matters of the heart.
TGPC: What is one thing in your life you regret till today and wish you could change about it?
Aditi: I wouldn’t want to change anything in my life because it has made me the person I am today. The road hasn’t always been easy but that’s what makes the journey so enjoyable.
TGPC: If you could play a role of Monika/Phoebe/Rachel from FRIENDS TV Serial, which one would you play and why?
Aditi: I’m a huge F. R. I. E. N. D. S. fan and I really wish I could be one of the girls in it. If made to choose among Monica, Rachel and Phoebe, I’d choose Phoebe because she has a unique personality and is very accepting of how she is. She is a selfless sister and an exemplary friend and has a wicked sense of humor. I relate to her character and that’s why I’d choose to be her.
TGPC: Any message for the readers of TGPC?
Aditi: The Great Pageant Community is a lovely portal that houses pageant fans, experts, analysts and aspirants, all in one group. They’ve always been extremely kind to me and some of the members have also given me (and many other girls) extremely valuable feedback which has helped me evolve into a better version of myself. I’d like to convey my gratitude and tell them how thankful I am for their help and support and would only hope that it grows with time.
Picture Courtesy: Anshul Sarin Photography