Exclusive Interview – Sayali Ayre, the reigning Miss Teen India Multinational

Sayali Ayre from Mumbai was crowned Miss Teen India Multinational at the national finale of Miss Teen Diva 2020 beauty pageant, concluded on January 25, 2021 at Kingdom of Dreams in Gurugram. Sayali will serve as India’s representative at the inaugural edition of Miss Teen Multinational competition, scheduled to take place at the end of this year. She is a student of Engineering at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Sardar Patel Institute of Technology. In this exclusive interview, she talks about her journey to the coveted title of Miss Teen India Multinational and her future plans.  

Q. First of all, many congratulations to you on winning the Glamanand Miss Teen India Multinational title. How do you feel about it?
Sayali Ayre: Thank you very much. To describe the feeling in one word, it would be ‘ecstatic’. Miss Teen Diva was the first pageant I ever participated in and winning it is a huge achievement for me. It shows that anything is possible if you put your mind and soul in it.  

Q. What was your reaction, when your name was announced at the grand finale of the pageant?
Sayali Ayre: I was thrilled. For a split second, I could not believe that I made it and all the hard work had paid off. I felt a tiny shiver of excitement during my crowning moment. As I stood on the stage, I waved at my mother sitting in the audience. The smile on her face made me realize how proud she was.

Q. What was the most challenging part / phase during the Miss Teen Diva 2020 beauty pageant? 
Sayali Ayre: For a first timer, facing the competition head-on was the most challenging part. I didn’t know what exactly to expect. So I went there with an open mind and promised myself to give my best. All my fellow contestants were extremely beautiful and intelligent. So at times, the competition was very intimidating. It took a lot of confidence and self-belief to keep my mind focused on the goal while also focusing on enjoying the journey. Apart from this, preparing for the pageant in the times of a nation-wide lockdown was also a challenge but thankfully it all went well.

Q. What was the most memorable moment for you from the entire journey that you covered at Miss Teen Diva 2020 beauty pageant?
Sayali Ayre: The crowning moment and the crown which I will cherish for a lifetime was the most memorable moment. Besides that, the whole journey was an amazing experience in many ways. The things that I took back from the pageant and are closest to my heart are the friends I made there. Although the pressure of winning was there, it never overpowered our friendship. The launch party of Miss Teen Diva was also super fun and all of us had a gala time. Even during stressful moments like getting ready for a shoot, all the girls helped each other which shows that pageants are all about women supporting and empowering each other.

Q. You will serve as India’s representative at the Miss Teen Multinational competition in future. How do you feel about it?
Sayali Ayre: Winning this title makes me the first Indian to ever represent our country at Miss Teen Multinational competition. I feel extremely honoured and privileged to be given this opportunity. Along with that it also brings a lot of responsibilities and pressure to perform well and bring home the crown. All I can hope for now is that I give my best and set the standards high.

Q. Who / What has been your greatest support in life?
Sayali Ayre: My mother. She is the wind beneath my wings and had always supported me and propelled me to do better. She always believed in me and my dreams and motivates me to keep getting better with each day.

Q. Who is your inspiration or role model?
Sayali Ayre: Since childhood, I have always looked up to Priyanka Chopra as my role model. Her journey has been an inspiration to girls like me. From being an aeronautical engineering aspirant to becoming Miss World and then conquering the hearts of people all across the globe, she has excelled in all walks of life. She is also an avid humanitarian and inspires me to follow her footsteps.

Q. Lastly, any message for the readers.

Sayali Ayre: Always be true to yourself and have self-belief. My school’s motto, ‘Dare to dream; dare to excel’ inspires me till date to dream big. Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. Thank you.