Priyadarshini Rajkumar is a trained Artist, Actor, Dancer and Social Worker. She was born in Chennai and pursued a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Painting at the College of Arts and Crafts Chennai. She completed MBA in Finance from University of Newcastle and has worked in the financial services in Australia and India. She is also a trained Bharatanrityam Dancer, a student of Padma Bhushan Dr Padma Subramaniam and has performed extensively in India and Abroad.

Priyadarshini is also the Secretary of Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust, which runs many social initiatives and charitable programmes in Tamil Nadu. The Trust also conducts the renowned Vasant Utsav – Annual Festival of dance – at Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore,  Chenani during the month of May.

An ardent social worker and a social activist, Priyadarshini has been spearheading the cause of educating the homeless children passionately and been fundraising for this cause.

She is also involved in promoting the Transgender community.

On 1st Oct 2018, Priyadarshini Rajkumar was crowned Dazzle Mrs India World Classic 2018, in New Delhi and is looking to take this title to new heights through her social work and community service.

In an exclusive interview, Priyadarshini Rajkumar tells

Marie Banu how she plans to use

her recognition to bring about

social change.

Can you tell us about Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust?

Saraswathi Educational Cultural and Charitable Trust was founded in 1998 by Late Smt. Indira Garyali, my grandmother with an impetus to bring education to underprivileged children and those with special needs. Over the years, the Trust has conducted many activities under it’s core objectives and has grown from strength to strength to be recognized in India and abroad for affordable education, promotion of vedic heritage, Indian classical dance and music, and charitable assistance and endowments.

The Trust has collaborations with Equitas Development Initiative Trust and the Sai Jeya Trust to conduct charitable activities that help youth and families build a future for them. The Trust also runs the Madras Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology in collaboration with the Sree Annamalaiyar Educational Trust providing education to many underprivileged students.

Currently, we are coordinating Bird’s Nest 365 project, in collaboration with an international NGO – Fox Glove Projects and Global Development Initiatives from Australia – and Equitas Development Initiatives Trust in India. The project aims to rehabilitate homeless pavement dwellers in simple housing and provide them the stability so that the families can have a permanent address, social security, and education for their children, besides sustainable livelihoods. We also provide vocational training for street children.

Another major project of the Trust is the ‘Vasant Utsav’ Festival of Dance, which is conducted at Kapaleeswarar temple in May every year. We invite classic dancers from across India to perform for the public at the temple premises. We believe that this programme will encourage more and more people to take up the arts.

There are many more such projects that the Trust is involved in and we mostly collaborate with other NGOs,  Rotary Clubs, and Lions clubs.

What motivated you to join the film industry?

I was always an artistic person and am fascinated by performing arts. Since my early days, I was enchanted by film and television and was an ardent theatre actor in school. I also did amateur theatre with theater groups connected with Alliance Francaise de Chennai and Max Mullar Bhavan. I learnt Bharatanrithyam from the great Guru Padmabhushan Dr Padma Subramaniam. 

While in college, during the late 90’s, I chanced to meet eminent director Late Shri K. Balachandar who casted me in a small role in his epic serial ‘Premi’. This was my first exposure to professional acting and I have deep gratitude to him for introducing me to the film industry. 

In 1998, I migrated to Australia where I lived for many years and got disconnected from the Arts. Upon my return to India in 2012, and after my daughter Keemaya’s birth, I started to look out for acting opportunities. I had the opportunity to work in Remo, Accham Yenbadu Madamai adaa and Kavan. The role in Kavan received some critical acclaim and brought me recognition in the film field. 

I am now working on some artistic as well as commercial films, which are due for release in the next few months.

What inspired you to participate in Mrs India World Classic 2018 contest? Can you share your experience?

Being an actor, I had prepared a photo portfolio to obtain future acting jobs. I thoroughly enjoyed bring photographed and thought to myself that modeling could also be an interesting hobby. I joined a course named Iris Glam conducted my Mrs Latha Krishnan mainly to learn how to walk on a runway as well as pose for pictures. However, I learnt a lot more in terms of personal branding, grooming and styling – all of which added to my personality. Whilst I was doing this course, auditions for Dazzle Mrs India World 2018 pageant came up and I was encouraged to participate. To my surprise, I was selected as a finalist and in a months time I flew to New Delhi to participate in the the event that was held at The Umrao Resorts by Parisa Communication Pvt. Ltd. It seemed like the whole show was girl power, with the Show Director

Mrs Tabassum Haq and the choreographer Mrs. Bhumika Bhandari being women, and the event held in support of breast cancer.

We received amazing training sessions from renowned pageant and grooming coaches Dr. Varun Katiyal and Miss Shaine Soni, life coaching from Mr Sanjeev Pandey, and Breast Cancer awareness session by Dr Kanika Sharma Sood.

It was a wonderful experience to meet women across India who came from all walks of life and to listen to their life stories and aspirations.  The bonding and sorority we felt was amazing!

On 30 September, we had the Introduction and talent round and I was lucky to top amongst other talented women in my age group. On 1st October, Dazzle Mrs India 2018 finals were held and it commenced with a glorious ethnic round. Three contestants were shortlisted from each age group and were asked to answer one common question for the group. The question was: “A woman has three births in her life, one as daughter, second as wife and third as mother. Of these, which is the most significant to you and why?”

My reply to the question was: “Motherhood is most significant in my life as I had a beautiful childhood, and my marriage came easily. But, I struggled to become a mother, and I was able to attain motherhood only at the age of 40. Therefore, I value this the most. Also, with motherhood I experienced unconditional love, a purity of connection, which I have never felt before. I realized that the ultimate purpose of womanhood is to nurture – not just in one’s own life, but also the society and the earth.

I feel so blessed to be crowned Dazzle Mrs India World Classic 2018. The winning title is given to contestants aged between 35 and 45 years and I feel proud to return to my hometown as a winner.

How do you plan to use your recognition to bring about social change?

The whole reason I decided to contest the title of Mrs India is because the title gives one a voice in public, and a standing in society, which could be used to reach out to people and encourage them in social action.

I intend to connect with more NGOs to increase the breadth of our existing projects, visit schools, colleges and other organisations to enlighten the masses about our work, and to fundraise for our existing and new projects that are coordinated by our Trust.

I also have a desire to contest for the title of Mrs. World and other international titles so that I can reach out to more people across the globe.