Med student sets her sights on Miss SA
MEDICAL student Karishma Ramdev has set her sights on the Miss South Africa crown.
She has big plans for if she wins, and intends to use her title to empower females to make them confident enough to know the sky is not the limit.
Ramdev, 23, is a fifth-year medical student at the University of Pretoria.
She grew up in Chatsworth and lives with her parents,
Karun, 52, an optometrist, Komla, 51, a radiologist, and brothers Aveshan, 26, and Sashin, 20, in Riviera, Pretoria.
Miss SA is Ramdev’s second pageant – she won the Miss Tuks Varsity Cup in 2015.
“Since I was a little girl I’ve always wanted to help people,” said Ramdev.
“The Miss SA platform is one of empowerment. It empowers women. They are able to go into their communities and make a difference in the lives of the youth, especially young girls.
“I believe in the power of this platform and have no doubt it will help me grow me as a person,” said Ramdev.
She said her focus would be on changing the way young women think – encouraging them to be more optimistic and believe that anything was possible if they put their mind to it.
She entered the Durban segment of the pageant because it was where she grew up and where she knew she would have the support of friends and family.
“There is so much more to beauty pageants than just having a beautiful face and body,” she said. “I think there is a misconception that pageants focus solely on beauty. The Miss SA pageant also focuses on intelligence and personality.
“I believe that beauty is not skin deep – yes, it captures the eye, but personality captures the heart.”
If she won the title, Ramdev said she was prepared to juggle her studies with her Miss SA responsibilities.
She said she had managed to balance her modelling career and medical studies for some time.
Ramdev said she wanted to make an impression on the judges that she was someone who always gave of her best in every situation.
She said it would be “my dream come true” to be able to speak to women across the country about how powerful women really were.
“I also want to focus on spending time with children in shelters.”
When Ramdev is not studying or modelling, she can be found helping out the Abba House in Pretoria, a home of safety for abused children.
She is also active in the Tuks Leadership and Individual Programme (Tulip) which gives high-school pupils the knowledge and resources they need to get into tertiary institutions.
“I’m passionate about making a difference in the lives of others. That’s the reason I help out at a children’s home and the main reason for becoming a doctor,” said Ramdev.