Meet Smrite Bhatia of Vizag, who has been crowned Mrs India 2019 2020

Smrite Bhatia, of Vizag, will represent India at the Mrs.World competition set to be held at Las Vegas, California, U.S.A. Having pursued her MBA from Cardiff University, UK, Summer School Psychology at Stanford University, USA and Disruptive Strategy at Harvard Business School, USA; Smrite Bhatia can truly be defined as a beauty with brains. She is married to Priyank Bhatia, a Marine Surveyor with his own firm,  Ericson and Richard’s. Priyank is an ex-merchant navy officer. The couple resides in Vizag with Preeti Bhatia (mother-in-law) & Pradeep Bhatia (father-in-law). Having bagged the Mrs. India Title for 2019-20 at the recently held Covisionara Global Mrs. India pageant, Smrite Bhatia shares more about herself with Yo! Vizag.

This was your first time at a beauty pageant, and you won it too! We’re curious to know how it came about?

This was my first pageant and it happened because of my mother, Shalini Gupta. She’s the one who believed in my victory and submitted the form for me. In fact, it all started with a little message from her and then snowballed into everything else.

What went into preparing for the pageant? Since when did you prepare and how?

Discipline and hard work went into every detail of the preparation. I focused on aspects of fitness, health, personality, etiquette, my goal and dream of association and welfare for children and presentation skills of everything I believed and represented. I started preparing a month before the contest and had a time table and an agenda sheet that had a completed goal-driven chart that captured 8 hours of a day’s work and dedication. Working for the pageant required me to focus on the aspects of personal interview, national costume, evening wear, and social cause.

So how was your experience at the actual pageant like?

Participating at the pageant was a learning in itself. I learnt that you are living a journey where you are becoming the best version of yourself. It’s important not to treat this as a competition with others, but as a platform where you can learn, shine and grow. Of the four rounds of Personal Interview, Talent round, National Costume and finale question and answer; I really enjoyed the ‘National costume’ round. It helped me to showcase with pride the revival of Khadi in the 150th anniversary year of Gandhi. There were no tough rounds, I feel, and it all boiled down to good preparation. You had to be prepared, and I was prepared.

How did it feel to walk the ramp for the first time, and win titles too?

It was really an amazing feeling to be up on the stage and represent the best version of myself. I loved walking the ramp, and the fact that I won Mrs. Catwalk title was the cherry on top. I also won the titles of Mrs India Regency International, Mrs India, Mrs Andhra, Mrs Beauty with Purpose, Mrs Tech Diva and Mrs Talented! 

What would you call as the most rewarding part of the experience?

The entire journey, where I got to interact with 32 of the most talented and influential women in the country, was most rewarding. I have taken back the most beautiful friendships, and I will treasure these forever. The pageant is also a platform to connect with the world and do my bit of what I’m passionate about and that’s wonderful too.

 What would you say tilted the scales in your favour? And what does the future hold?

The support of loved ones and their prayers worked for me. Everyone came together and gave the best of experience and skills they had to take me to get to the top. As for the future, I’m looking forward to representing India in June 2020 at Las Vegas for the international round. Through this platform, I want to reach out and live my dream of helping children get shelter and education.

Your connect with Vizag. What does Smrite Bhatia like about the city?

I may have been born in Chandigarh, but Vizag is home now. I am married here and like they say it has been the city of my destiny. I came here and lived a dream every girl dreams of, as I was married to my Prince charming here. I love the city and how the mountain meets the sea. It’s what I wake up and sleep to, and it’s a fairytale that I am living.

What do you feel about the city’s scope for beauty pageants?

The city definitely has scope. In fact, applications for next year are open and I would love to help as many girls as possible, who aspire to go live their dream and walk the ramp. The stage is theirs and I will do everything to help them get there. I will be happy to support, guide and mentor in whatever way possible. We really are blessed to be born as women. What is lacking is leadership and I think every girl should be given the opportunity to take up her rightful space in society.