For Vibitha Vijayan, first runner-up of the Miss Kerala beauty pageant held recently, winning the title was a proud moment. She had to fight hard life’s obstacles to reach this far. “We all are fighters in some way. One's entire life is not meant for struggles; one day an opportunity will come our way and it will shine,” says Vibitha, who works as a probationary officer at a bank in Erode.
Hailing from a middle-class family in Chirakad, Palakkad, she feels that her family is the reason for her achievement. Despite financial crunches, they stood with her to pursue her dream. Her father works as an autorickshaw driver; but he did whatever he could within his limits.
“I faced many difficulties in completing my studies. I had feared I would have to drop out because of financial problems,” she says. Vibitha looks back on those days when she longed for a better life, when she decided to fight. Darkness in her life didn't make her stay back. Her family supported and encouraged her to achieve this glittering title.
While applying to participate in the event, she didn't expect that a crown was awaiting her.
She says that the grooming session that lasted seven days was not just for improving physique, but the entire
personality. “I was about to quit during the initial days of training. All contestants were well educated and talented. I was just a literature graduate. I felt inferior, which made me down. But the mentors supported me very well and gave me confidence to overcome my fears. Now, I realise that adversities don't matter. All that matters is to succeed," says Vibitha. She hopes that this crown will be a breakthrough in her life. She suggests that every woman should follow her dream, and never waste time in convincing others.
“Those who really wish for you to succeed will stand by you. And there are no barriers,” she says. Asked about her favourite moment in the contest, she replied: “When they announced that I am the first runner-up and I got to call my parents up on the stage.”
