Dazzling to inspire

THRISSUR: Nahida Mohammed is glad that she could overcome various challenges to participate in the Mrs India One in a Million modelling contest. Despite criticism from family and community leaders, this mother of a five-year-old was determined to have her way.

At the contest’s concluding ceremony in New Delhi on December 22, 2022, Nahida won the ‘Kerala state gold’ title. Winning the title battling several odds was a life-transforming experience for the 35-year-old.
Nahida is a planning and development officer with Lahanti Last Mile Services Pvt Ltd, the business correspondent of ESAF Small Finance Bank.

About five years ago, after giving birth to her child, Nahida was bedridden with peripartum cardiomyopathy. It is a weakness of the heart muscle that usually appears either in the last trimester of pregnancy or up to five months after childbirth. Nahida even spent five days on ventilator support. But she bounced back and then decided to never compromise in her life. Soon after recovering from her rare condition, Nahida even completed a marathon in 2020.

“I loved modelling. I first thought of making it to the Mrs Kerala contest. But I didn’t get a chance. Then I came to know about the Mrs India competition. The whole journey of participation was an inspiring experience for me,” she said. Nahida made it to the final 20 from among 44 contestants. “In the beginning I was anxious of wearing various dresses for the contest. But support from my family kept me going,” she said.