Can you picture working a 36-hour shift at a hospital and then voluntarily coming in the following day to work on your flaws and become a beauty queen? Since 2018, Hubli, Karnataka-born Shruti Hegde, a doctor and beauty queen, has been doing just that. But this Kannadiga’s patience has paid off.
Shruti Hegde won the title of Miss Universal Petite, India’s first pageant on June 10. The contest was startedin 2009 to provide shorter women, who frequently felt overshadowed by the amazonian norms of height, with opportunities. Every year, Tampa, Florida, in the United States of America, hosts the event.
“It was not easy for sure. I realised that being a doctor is a lot more work than I initially thought. Yes, it becomes too much at times. But I don’t think I will be choosing one over the other. Instead, I want to find a balance between both,” said Hegde to PTI.
Hegde claimed that she never really thought about winning when she decided to compete in pageants.
“I guess being a beauty queen is the dream of almost every small-town girl, and I am constantly wanting to try new things.” I decided to just give it a shot. Hegde stated, “Having a mother who is more determined than I am to pursue my goals helped. That’s how Hedge ended herself entering the 2018 Miss Dharwad pageant. But things really took a turn for the worst when she advanced to the finals.
“I became aware throughout the competition that I was also picking up a lot of life lessons, the type that will make me a better person and better able to handle any circumstance. Therefore, I made the decision to give it everything I had and see where it led me,” Hegde said. Hegde is currently pursuing an MD in dermatology at Tumakuru, a city located roughly 70 km northeast of Bengaluru.
But then she encountered the next obstacle. In addition to having the resources to make all the preparations needed to become a beauty queen, Hubballi was a little town that also had to take a break and handle a medical issue.
I had to have major surgery after learning that I had benign ovarian and uterine tumours in 2019. My life was consumed by this for two years, 2019 and 2020, as I recovered. For a long, I believed that to be the end of my pageantry career. Once more, my mom wouldn’t forgive me so lightly. Hegde remarked, “She stood behind me like a rock.
Hegde claimed that after that, she recovered, travelled throughout India, and enrolled in classes to give herself the composed appearance of a beauty queen.
“There are so many factors to consider: speech, attire, etc. Additionally, you will need to pay at least a few lakhs up front for all of that. However, at this point, nothing could stop me from continuing, Hedge said.
Financial hardship significantly decreased once she won a significant title—she was Miss Asia International India 2023’s second runner-up, according to Hegde. “I began receiving sponsors for things like clothes and other stuff. which was a relief because, up until then, I was only required to wear a few costumes to many pageants,” Hegde said.
Naturally, pageantry led to other opportunities in the entertainment sector. Hegde claimed that she has been getting offers to appear in films and television shows since 2023. Once more, I approached it with caution. began by using serials initially. However, the movie “Sharanara Shakti,” for which I recently wrapped production, helped me see that a career in film might not be all that horrible,” Hegde continued.
According to Hegde, she recently performed as a dancer in the historical drama Basavanna, which follows the life of the philosopher, poet, and social reformer from the 12th century.
“I recognised that films like ‘Sharanara Shakti’ are made feasible by the Kannada cinema industry, which is once again opening up. Here, perhaps, is the ideal moment to be an actress. I’ve made the decision to go ahead and see where it goes now,” Hegde remarked.
Hegde went on to say that she is currently filming “Janumadata,” another strange movie that delves into the background of a difficult father-son relationship. “I play the lead this time – the girlfriend who encourages the guy to face things head-on even as he struggles to accept his father as he is,” Hegde stated.
