Every great dream begins with a dreamer. And Lakshmi Menon, winner of the 16th edition of Miss South India, held on to hers long enough with strong faith and conviction. Not surprisingly then, it is a dream-come-true moment for the 23-year-old who has been crazy about beauty pageants since her childhood days. In her words, she is ‘on top of the world’. “I have always been fascinated by the crown, the stage, the lights and ramp walk. I have heard that beauty pageants help us evolve and become better people. I wanted to experience that,” says Lakshmi, a native of Kodungallur, Thrissur.
In order to complete her studies, the engineering graduate put her dream on hold for a few years. But that never deterred her from the main path. This beauty queen’s parents also believe that she is a miracle as she came into their lives after a really long wait. Interestingly, Miss South India is Lakshmi’s second pageant. She was the first runner-up in the Miss Kerala Fitness and Fashion pageant 2017-18. Both the pageants provided her with different experiences. The various sessions before the main event groomed her personality and prepared her well for the finale. “After the first round, everyone said I looked good. I too knew I had done my best,” she says.
Deep down, in her heart and mind, only Laksmi knew how badly she wanted to win the crown. “I desired to win it when I saw the image of the crown. I didn’t look at the first or second runner-up’s crown at all; my eyes were glued to the winner’s crown. Maybe that desire came true,” she shares with a smile. “What is success?” was the question the judges asked her, to which Lakshmi replied: “Success is a never-ending process.” She also believes that if her actions can influence people around her, she will be a successful person. That seems to be her motto in life too. And the crown, feels Lakshmi, has made her more responsible.
