<p>Bengaluru: Imagine doing a 36-hour shift in a hospital and then turning up willingly the next day to chip away the imperfections to become a beauty queen? That is what Shruti Hegde, a doctor and a beauty queen from Hubli, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/karnataka-india">Karnataka</a>, has been doing since 2018.</p>.<p>This Kannadiga’s hard work has paid off though.</p>.<p>A little over a month ago, on June 10, Shruti Hegde became India’s first Miss Universal Petite, a pageant that was started in 2009 to give opportunity to shorter women, who found themselves often dwarfed by the amazonian standards when it comes to height.</p>.<p>The pageantry is held in Tampa, Florida in the United States of America, every year.</p>.<p>“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 <em>PTI</em>.</p>.<p>When she took the pageantry route, Hegde said she never gave much thought to winning.</p>.<p>“I am always wanting to do new things, and I guess it is almost every small-town girl’s dream – to be a beauty queen. So, I thought I’ll just give it a try. It helped that I had a mother who is keener than me that I should do what I want to do,” said Hegde.</p>.<p>That is how Hedge found herself signing up for Miss Dharwad contest in 2018. But when she made it to the finals, things took a serious turn.</p>.Miss Universe, Miss Colombia 'bonded together forever'.<p>“During the course of the contest, I realised that I was learning a lot of life lessons too – the kind that will help me be a better person and be better equipped to tackle any kind of situation. So, I decided to give my all to it, and see where it took me,” said Hegde, who is currently pursuing MD in dermatology in Tumakuru, a city about 70 km away from Bengaluru.</p>.<p>But she soon hit the next roadblock. Not only did a small town like Hubballi have the necessary means for all the preparations required to become a beauty queen, but she also had to take a break and deal with a medical emergency.</p>.<p>“In 2019, I was diagnosed with benign ovarian and uterine tumours and had to undergo open surgery. This ate up two years of my life – 2019 and 2020 – as I recuperated. I thought that was the end of my pageantry career for a while. Again, my mother wouldn’t let me off so easily. She stood behind me like a rock,” said Hegde.</p>.<p>And so, Hegde said she bounced back, went tripping all over India, taking classes to get herself the poised look of a beauty queen.</p>.<p>“There’s so much to it – diction, clothing, walking… And initially, you will have to spend for all that, a couple of lakhs at least. But by now nothing could stop me, I wanted to go all the way,” said Hedge.</p>.<p>Once she won a big title – the second runner-up of Miss Asia International India 2023 – financial strain lessened a lot, said Hegde.</p>.<p>“I started getting sponsors for my clothes and stuff. Which was a relief because earlier I had only a couple of outfits that I was forced to wear to different pageantries,” Hegde.</p>.<p>As expected, pageantry opened other doors in the entertainment industry. Since 2023, Hegde said she has been receiving offers to act in serials and films.</p>.<p>“Again, I ventured into it cautiously. Started first with serials. But the film that I just finished shooting for, <em>Sharanara Shakti</em>, made me realise a film career may not be a bad thing,” added Hegde.</p>.<p>Hegde said she just played a dancer in the period film that traces the life of the 12th century philosopher, poet and social reformer Basavanna.</p>.Mahila Congress chief says Hassan sex scandal has shaken conscience of Kannadigas, Indians alike.<p>“I realised that the Kannada film industry is again opening itself, making it possible for films like <em>Sharanara Shakti</em>. It’s perhaps the best time to be an actor here. I have now decided to take that plunge and see where it goes,” said Hegde.</p>.<p>Hegde added that she is shooting right now for <em>Janumadata</em>, another odd-ball film that explores the undercurrent of the tense relationship between a father and son.</p>.<p>“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,” said Hegde.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Imagine doing a 36-hour shift in a hospital and then turning up willingly the next day to chip away the imperfections to become a beauty queen? That is what Shruti Hegde, a doctor and a beauty queen from Hubli, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/karnataka-india">Karnataka</a>, has been doing since 2018.</p>.<p>This Kannadiga’s hard work has paid off though.</p>.<p>A little over a month ago, on June 10, Shruti Hegde became India’s first Miss Universal Petite, a pageant that was started in 2009 to give opportunity to shorter women, who found themselves often dwarfed by the amazonian standards when it comes to height.</p>.<p>The pageantry is held in Tampa, Florida in the United States of America, every year.</p>.<p>“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 <em>PTI</em>.</p>.<p>When she took the pageantry route, Hegde said she never gave much thought to winning.</p>.<p>“I am always wanting to do new things, and I guess it is almost every small-town girl’s dream – to be a beauty queen. So, I thought I’ll just give it a try. It helped that I had a mother who is keener than me that I should do what I want to do,” said Hegde.</p>.<p>That is how Hedge found herself signing up for Miss Dharwad contest in 2018. But when she made it to the finals, things took a serious turn.</p>.Miss Universe, Miss Colombia 'bonded together forever'.<p>“During the course of the contest, I realised that I was learning a lot of life lessons too – the kind that will help me be a better person and be better equipped to tackle any kind of situation. So, I decided to give my all to it, and see where it took me,” said Hegde, who is currently pursuing MD in dermatology in Tumakuru, a city about 70 km away from Bengaluru.</p>.<p>But she soon hit the next roadblock. Not only did a small town like Hubballi have the necessary means for all the preparations required to become a beauty queen, but she also had to take a break and deal with a medical emergency.</p>.<p>“In 2019, I was diagnosed with benign ovarian and uterine tumours and had to undergo open surgery. This ate up two years of my life – 2019 and 2020 – as I recuperated. I thought that was the end of my pageantry career for a while. Again, my mother wouldn’t let me off so easily. She stood behind me like a rock,” said Hegde.</p>.<p>And so, Hegde said she bounced back, went tripping all over India, taking classes to get herself the poised look of a beauty queen.</p>.<p>“There’s so much to it – diction, clothing, walking… And initially, you will have to spend for all that, a couple of lakhs at least. But by now nothing could stop me, I wanted to go all the way,” said Hedge.</p>.<p>Once she won a big title – the second runner-up of Miss Asia International India 2023 – financial strain lessened a lot, said Hegde.</p>.<p>“I started getting sponsors for my clothes and stuff. Which was a relief because earlier I had only a couple of outfits that I was forced to wear to different pageantries,” Hegde.</p>.<p>As expected, pageantry opened other doors in the entertainment industry. Since 2023, Hegde said she has been receiving offers to act in serials and films.</p>.<p>“Again, I ventured into it cautiously. Started first with serials. But the film that I just finished shooting for, <em>Sharanara Shakti</em>, made me realise a film career may not be a bad thing,” added Hegde.</p>.<p>Hegde said she just played a dancer in the period film that traces the life of the 12th century philosopher, poet and social reformer Basavanna.</p>.Mahila Congress chief says Hassan sex scandal has shaken conscience of Kannadigas, Indians alike.<p>“I realised that the Kannada film industry is again opening itself, making it possible for films like <em>Sharanara Shakti</em>. It’s perhaps the best time to be an actor here. I have now decided to take that plunge and see where it goes,” said Hegde.</p>.<p>Hegde added that she is shooting right now for <em>Janumadata</em>, another odd-ball film that explores the undercurrent of the tense relationship between a father and son.</p>.<p>“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,” said Hegde.</p>