The career of one of the most in-demand models, Dev Paimal, is a story of passion — although he completed MBA and was handling his family business, he aspired to be a part of the modeling industry. Confidence, fuelled with passion, motivated him to give it a try… and he's never looked back since! Meet the handsome young man!

''I hail from Indore where I completed MBA and handled my family business, but I always aspired to be a model. Sure, I had several career choices, but my passion to be a top model brought me here. I knew I had it me to do good work and confidently took a step forward to pursue modeling as a career. There's a saying, 'The journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step.' I say, 'the journey of top model begins with passion.' It must be a choice fuelled with passion!! The desire to be a top model will define your success. Without that drive or fire, the photographs will look lacklustre. Passion ensures you remain committed and serious. Patience is key too; working with so many different people requires a lot of patience!!''

How do you keep in shape, I ask? ''I'm working hard to be healthy and fit. A positive attitude is important to stay healthy. I always stay positive, no matter what the situation is. And I eat healthy. You must have heard the saying 'Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper.' I follow that! At the gym, I do intense cross-fit workouts. And of course, to stay healthy, one has to get adequate sleep. So, my mantra is: eat on time, workout regularly, sleep adequately and most importantly, be happy!'' It seems his hard work is paying off. ''I started from scratch and walked from small shows to the giant ramps of Lakmé Fashion Week and India Couture Week. I've also acted in television serials 'Nagarjun' and 'Beyhadh'. And it's been a real learning curve. I believe in learning and evolving with each assignment, be it television serials, tvcs, ramp or editorials.''

''From my experience, I'd like to advise youngsters aspiring to be a model. This industry is synonymous with fame, wealth and recognition. But unfortunately many do not fit the cookie cutter mould that modeling demands. If you have what it takes to be a model, you need to have patience and perseverance injected with intense desire. Don't allow success to change you. And don't try ape someone because everyone is unique; focus on being the best version of you. And, believe in yourself, because if you don't believe you have what it takes, it'll be a difficult journey.'' Hmm it's this attitude that'll take him places.

Dev Paimal, it seems, is fairly content with his lot. With his career geared towards the stratosphere, and new ventures taking shape, you'll be seeing a lot more of him on the catwalk and on screen. I wish him luck!

— JASMEEN DUGAL