I faced a lot of
scrutiny from
my conservative
family for being a
single mother.
planned on it. I was very curious about the whole process
and extremely nervous about it. During the contest, we
were judged on several areas including beauty and talent.
There was a Q ‘n’ A round as well which I approached
practically and tried to be as natural as possible.”
So, what was her most memorable moment? She reveals,
“There were many amazing moments, but the one I cherish
was when I was crowned. But more than the title and the
crown, it was the spark of pride that I saw in my son’s
eyes that made it so special.”
CONQUERING HURDLES
But Ruchita’s journey was no walk in the park. She had
to overcome a host of challenges and obstacles to get
where she is today. “I got married very early and had a
son. But things changed and I soon found myself raising
my son on my own. That itself was challenging and to
add to it, I faced a lot of scrutiny from my conservative
family for being a single mother.
“Things changed yet again when I married Dhanesh
Chheda. Adjusting to a new family with a grown up son
was tough but with time, we fi t right in. Another challenge
was balancing my time between my family and my work
with the Angel Link Foundation which helps people who
reside in remote areas. But slowly things settled down
and life got a little easier.”
AWESOME SUPPORT
But nothing is possible without support. Ruchita found
hers with her mother and mother-in-law. “They inspire
me, allow me to make my own decisions and help me
learn from my mistakes,” says she.
MOVING FORWARD
Ruchita is currently preparing for an international pageant
in 2018, as well as working on making her dream of
building a performing arts center for underprivileged and
differently abled children a reality.With her son and husband Dhanesh Chheda123 SAVVY DECEMBER 2017