Meeruts Anushka Dhaka, selected for the fashion week, hopes to conquer global waters
By Asmita Aggarwal
Growing up in the small town of Meerut, Anushka Dhaka had little or no exposure to fashion, but somehow that never dampened her spirits. Like all middle-class families, her father, a bank manager wanted all his three children to professionally excel. His dreams for Dhaka were to appear for the Civil Services exams. But life doesnt come with a road map, especially when serendipity plays its part; it hurls you towards the direction you are destined to head.
So with full support of her housewife mother and older sister Anushka applied for the Elite Model look in 2018 and got selected. Providence took her to the top 15 finalists, plus she won the Ms Popular title. For a reticent, soft spoken girl, this was a huge feat. There is always an invisible back story to what ostensibly appears; Anushka faced multiple rejections in 2017. She almost hit rock bottom when she took some time off to introspect and turned around her fortunes.
I had applied to colleges in 2017 in Delhi as I wanted to explore the country and not stay in the fish bowl of Meerut. I didnt get through anywhere, and for almost a year I was thinking about how bleak my future seems. Realisation came when I looked at setbacks as stepping stones and thats when I broke the cycle, she smiles.
A mass communication student, Anushkas journey hasnt been an easy one to make it to the top four finalists in the prestigious FDCI Model hunt, a rare honour she is grateful to have won. Frankly, I had applied several times before and never got selected, I often wondered if there was something wrong with me. It was hugely demotivating. But when I got selected the FDCI posted my story on Instagram it was a proud moment for me. I want to thank the fashion body for giving me this opportunity to reach my goals and for the training camp too, she says.
Many sacrifices were made to pursue modelling, for the Elite contest, Dhaka had to give up two important academic exams. She never told her father who was against the roller-coaster ride she would have to undertake in the world of glamour. Only when she won, was he informed. I think he would have liked to see me as an IAS officer, it was his dream, mine was different. Modelling is not a hobby for me, its a way of life. Growing up my only exposure was old fashion magazines, I used to cut and put in my room, I shared it with my older sister, who after studying fashion design is now working with designer Kanika Goyal, she admits.
Interestingly, creativity has been her mainstay, if it wasnt modelling it would be public relations or advertising, and this interest can be seen in her journaling and doodling her myriad thoughts making use of her spare time. Nature and animals have been uplifting companions in my loneliness, she confesses.
The three-day experience learning at the FDCI office with the modelling camp run by Lakshmi Rana changed Dhakas world view and opened her horizons to aiming for international catwalks. I got to meet the most amazing contestants, listen to their stories and struggles and mine paled in comparison. The FDCIs inclusivity initiative adds diversity to the whole programme, where personality takes centrestage, it is an exciting, fresh outlook to fashion, she adds.