Time to strut it on the runway

The search for India’s next supermodel hots up as the grand finale of the Ford Models Supermodel of the World-India contest nears.

With the finals of the Ford Models Supermodel of the World-India contest just around the corner, the short listed girls are pulling out all stops in their attempt to impress the judges. "For any girl this contest is a dream start. So, it's no surprise that the competition is strong! All the girls are at the top of their game, so I'm sure the judges are in for a tough time trying to choose the winner," says one of the finalists.

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An initiative of Fever 104 in partnership with Hindustan Times, the contest has finalists belonging to different parts of India including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangaluru, Kolkata, Pune and Chennai. With the likes of past winner and current Bollywood A-lister Bipasha Basu, Bollywood’ most sought-after designer Manish Malhotra, famed fashion photographer Bharat Sikka, FDCI’s president Sunil Sethi gracing the final judging panel, it’s no surprise that these girls are giving it their all in the remaining days before the big finale.

But, with expert help from various industry stalwarts, the going isn’t all that tough for the finalists. The girls are being groomed under fashion choreographer Prasad Bidapa, model-turned- actor-turned fitness gurus Rahul Dev and Milind Soman. They also have one-on-one session with model Lakshmi Rana and other industry insiders.

“The training is designed to give them the right finish as models so that they are at par with their international counterparts,” says Bidapa. “This contest is about finding the girl with that ‘it factor’ to ensure she makes it not only in India but internationally too,” adds HT’s fashion editor Vinod Nair.

But it’s not all work and no play for the girls. While they sweat it out everyday with numerous sessions and sub-contests, they also get time to kick back and relax, like they did when they shot for HT City. HTC

Here’s your chance to choose your favourite girl as India’s next supermodel. Log on to www.facebook.com/formodelssupermodelindia to vote online for your favourite contestant.

Know the Delhi girls
Name: Ankita Sejwal
Age: 22
Her stand-apart feature is the striking bob hairdo

Name: Kanika Dev
Age: 21
Her milky white complexion is only complimented by her long curly hair

Name: Shruti Batra
Age: 21
A dynamo of a girl, her most striking feature is surely her smile

Name: Ninja Singh
Age: 20
Besides her obviously off-beat name, her height is surely what sets her apart from the crowd

Name: Ruchika Arora
Age: 23
Her washboard stomach and toned body are supermodel ready

Name: Teesta Rajan
Age: 21
The effervescent one among the Delhi girls, her bubbly laughter is surely one of her winning traits

The finalists are....
From Mumbai:
Anjum Fakih
Pallavi Das
Shruti Iyer
Sudisha Mukherji
Tanya Mehta

From Bengaluru:
Tara Kurian
Rhea Subbaiah

From Chennai:
Kavya Shetty

From Pune:
Minora Parashar

From Kolkatta:
Anannya Sarmah

From Geneva:
Nitya Duella

About Ford Models Supermodel of the World
Perhaps one of the biggest modelling contests in the world, the Ford Models Supermodel of the World started in 1980, by the legendary Eileen Ford, founder of the acclaimed Ford Models agency, to tap the best modelling talent from all over the world. At the finals in New York, contestants from over 50 countries compete for the top prize of $250,000 and a modelling contract with Ford Models. Previous winners of the contest in India, have been the likes of actor Bipasha Basu and model Vidisha Pavate.