She is a classical dancer, will launch her music album soon, but Saloni an engineer by education and model by profession will charm you with her intelligence rather than her lithe frame.
By Asmita Aggarwal
Saloni Khanna calls herself a true Delhiite and being born in a family of academicians, with her father an IT professional, who works in IBM. Maybe thats why she completed her engineering and worked with an IT firm, just like her dad for two years.
Being a science graduate, Saloni completed her B. Tech in electronics and instrumentation, albeit with a gold medal.
I have a younger sister, and modelling happened by chance. I accompanied a friend to his shoot and that’s when it all began. One thing led to another and I fell in love with the profession. I quit my job and took up modelling, she says.
The 25-year-old model calls it a dynamic profession which breaks through the monotony of a 9 to 5 job. Every day, every shoot, every show is different. I have friends all over the world because of it and I get to do the one thing I always wanted, travel. It makes me happy, she adds.
Interestingly, there is also a flip side. Modelling can be tough, as you don’t always know what’s next. It requires a lot of patience and composure. I switched from a regular job to modelling, and these two profiles are poles apart. You need to believe in yourself, keep working hard and stay grounded, she smiles.
She learnt to eat right and drinks a lot of water to keep fit. The key is to eat six times in small portions and workout for an hour each day. I am personally not a fan of the gym, I prefer running or weight training along with yoga and Zumba on some days, she adds.
What takes you ahead in this field she confides is patience, hard work, humility and focus. Modelling, she admits, tests your patience. You need to be confident and sure about what you are doing. You can be a good model if you have self-confidence. A good model is also always humble and please dont forget that, she laughs.
In a world with fleeting trends and growing worshipers of the selfie, what Saloni looks for is to be able to have a meaningful, intelligent conversation. If you have to work on your muscles, work on your brain muscles. They last longer than you can imagine, she grins.
Growing up her father was her one and only inspiration. He worked 12 hours a day and selflessly at that. His aim was to provide a better life for his family and his dedication and commitment to his motive inspires me to be better at what I do. He is a self-made man and I look up to him, she says.
With more professional and highly qualified girls taking up modelling, it is not surprising that Saloni is an avid reader. Even though she will tell you that she doesnt read as much as she would like to. There isn’t a particular genre I read, but as of now I am reading Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch. It truly is a game changer, she says.
Not much of a planner for the future Saloni, wants to be the best at what she does. She believes in living in the moment. I want to be listed in the top models in India. And I also want to launch my own music album, which I will soon, she adds.
Her biggest asset she will tell you is not her tall frame and slender legs rather that she is a multi-tasker. Give me five things at a time and handle them equally well. It’s a hereditary trait. Also my parents have always instilled this sense of positivity in me. I try and look at the bright side of things and that helps a lot, she adds.
And when every girl, who walks into the arch lights is trying to fit in, she will laugh and exclaim, I don’t really try too hard. It’s better to have your own sense of style and fashion. Just be yourself and highlight your uniqueness. Be confident and you won’t need to cope.
Her advice to aspiring models is simple; do not lose your humility. Show confidence, have a good attitude, be friendly. Everyone is unique, find out what’s unique about you and use it. Success does not happen overnight, be patient. And above all, keep it simple.
Standing tall at five feet nine inches, Saloni loves travelling and if thats not enough she is also a classical dancer (kathak) and singer. I have completed my diploma in both. All my free time is dedicated and split between these two activities, she concludes.