Kalpesh Sharma is a professional model from Ahemdabad. Meet the contestant of Rubaru Mister India

''I started modeling two years back when I participated in a collegiate fashion show. It went off pretty well and inspired me to pursue modeling as my profession. I took the initiative of getting my folio done, sent it across to photographers in Ahmedabad and subsequently I got a lot of catalogue shoots. After I saw a few contestants of Mister India, I began transforming myself; I worked really hard and made my body perfect so I could participate in Rubaru Mister India — the rest is for you to decide when you see me in the challenge rounds!

Reminiscing back to the days when I used to simply dream of modeling and people used to discourage me saying I should focus on being an engineer, I am really glad I chose to follow my heart instead. It has the potential to change my life! Rubaru Mister India — just the title gives me goosebumps! I really represent the Rubaru group as they give absolute newcomers from small villages and towns the opportunity to become successful models! If they succeed, they are given an International platform. And, life as they have known it, changes!

Speaking of the pageant, I am working really hard! i dropped my weight from 85kg to 68kg within eight months and now have the perfect abs and a lean body. It has been a challenging journey — I have faced depression when I disciplined myself into not going out with friends and eating the food i love. It sometimes led to aggression, sometimes fever. But I have emerged stronger. I know many of the contestants are good and several of them have been modeling the since last couple of years but I have faith in myself; I am humble, hardworking, passionate about modeling and these qualities make me a potential finalist. Winning this title will not only change my life, it will affect my family, my state and in particular it will bring joy to my mother who has supported me wholeheartedly. it will also give me a platform to speak about the causes I believe in — our prime minister Narendra Modi started the scheme 'Beti Bachao-Beti padhao' which seeks to address gender imbalance and discrimination against the girl child. That is something I feel strongly about — it's not only the son who will be useful in old age… otherwise why are so many parents in old age homes?''

— JASMEEN DUGAL