Finalist Miss Canada 2022

Hello,

I am Kshitija Kekal, 29 years old, from India. In my 20s, I moved to Canada to pursue my Bachelor’s degree. I completed my Communications and Publishing degree from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, and now work as an E-commerce specialist while simultaneously building my own small craft business.

As a person, I enjoy meeting new people, doing outdoor activities with friends, my work, definitely, and I love crafts as well. In the midst of the pandemic, when all of us were stuck inside, I discovered, or rather, further enhanced, my hobby of art and craft. These online videos made it easy to learn new skills, which led me to open a small craft store, which is still under process but the idea is to showcase my and other like-minded people’s talents and products from around here, or even from Indian artists.

Moving to Canada has been an amazing experience. Being raised in a somewhat conservative family with all the crazy ups and downs, having the chance to step out of my comfort zone and move to Canada was the first step in changing my life.
I grew up as a shy, introverted kid, and as most people in India are dependent on their parents and families, so was I. I, however, enjoyed talking and mingling with people once I felt comfortable. If you were to ask my friends and family about me, they would say I was very quiet, shy, and innocent. Having said that, moving to Canada was a great decision, as the living standards and safety and security here enabled me to grow as an independent individual as well as give my parents the assurance that I’m okay and safe here on my own.

My time here gave me the opportunity to know and experience other cultures and certainly helped me grow into a more independent individual. It has been one of my greatest accomplishments to do something outside of my comfort zone. Being influenced by my parents and my brother, who faced obstacles in their own way, but never gave up and always bounced back.

Beautiful Quote –
The only thing you should ever quit is giving up! ~ Steve Pfeister

There are some women who are hesitant to step outside their comfort zones. However, I want to encourage them and say, “You can do it!” If I can, anyone can.  All you need is the courage and determination to decide to take the first step in whatever field or act you choose and life will flow along. Keep a positive mindset, and everything will fall into place.

I have always been interested in modeling and may even enter the media industry or at least experience it once. However, on the other hand, back at home, families don’t prefer it, or sometimes circumstances prevent it from happening. For a while, I put this idea to the side and focused on other things and managed to settle here in Canada.
Occasionally, I was asked at work if I modeled, and once I even had the opportunity to walk the runway wearing some beautiful Indian outfits, which all inspired me. Despite being shy when I’m in front of a large crowd, I do want to challenge myself on this, and give it a try.

Since I have been wanting to participate in a beauty pageant or do modeling, I thought why not Miss Canada, a platform that would make a difference in not only my life, but the lives of others as well. It will be an opportunity for me to develop valuable life skills, gain confidence, and contribute to the community.