Bald and beautiful

When Ketaki Jani began losing her hair at the age of forty, she thought that her life was over. It took only a month and a half for all of her hair to fall out. After trying out oils, hair treatments and even steroid pills, and having undergone a long battle with depression, Ketaki finally decided to not only accept but also embrace her baldness. Five years down the line from when she lost her hair, she is now the first finalist with alopecia to have made it to the finals of the Mrs India Worldwide finale.

“My daughter and husband encouraged me to stop taking steroid pills because it would have a negative impact on my kidneys in the long run. As soon as I stopped taking the pills, I lost all my hair a second time. It was a dark time for me, because, in our culture, people often equate a woman’s beauty with her hair,” recalls Ketaki, who admits that it was not just her own misgivings but also society that added to her struggles.

“I’ve actually had people come up to me and ask whether I have cancer, or say things like ‘how will she go out in public now’. I felt the stares that people would aim my way wherever I went,” she says.

It was her daughter who finally helped her get through the ordeal. “She sat with me one day and simply told me that I had my whole life ahead of me and that I’m healthy, I’m smart and I’m still beautiful. That really was a turning point for me,” says Ketaki.

Another step towards rediscovery was when she decided to tattoo her head. “I had always wanted to get a tattoo done, and I thought, well if God’s given me a canvas, why not use it?” The tattoo helped Ketaki gain back her confidence and even changed how people viewed her. “Now, when people see me, they think that it is a fashion statement,” she laughs.

Much more confident now, when she saw the Facebook page for the Mrs India pageant, she applied immediately. “When I went in for my personal interview, one of the judges immediately commended me on my hairstyle. Apparently being bald is a trend that’s catching on in Paris now,” she laughs.

Ketaki is prepping for the finale, which will take place in Mumbai, with a grooming session taking place in Dubai. “I’m really looking forward to seeing Dubai. I’ll be travelling on my own, so that should be quite exciting,” says Ketaki.