Shimalka shines!

by Nilma Dole

Flashing a radiant smile and gracing the Sunday Observer magazine cover this week is Shimalka Bodaragama who was picked the first runner-up of the Derana Miss Sri Lanka contest recently. Shimalka paid a visit to Lake House walking gracefully in high heels and wearing chic office attire, making the male employees of ANCL do a double-take as she walked by. So it was no wonder that she won seven mini-titles at the Miss Sri Lanka contest which was a record for any Miss Sri Lanka participant.

However, Shimalka is more than just a pretty face for she is keen on working on her dream of being an international fashion designer. “Growing up in Colombo, I studied at Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya. I’m happy to call myself a straight - A’s student because I believe that brains should go hand-in-hand with beauty especially when you’re a Miss Sri Lanka winner,” she said. Having passed her OL examination with flying colours, she even passed her AL examination selecting Arts subjects.

Modelling and participating in contests came to her by chance as Shimalka was talent-spotted when she participated in the New Generation model contest and Oriflame Look of the Year. “I just did it for fun after I left school but I was definitely interested in the fashion side of these contests,” said Shimalka, with a smile.

But Shimalka wasn’t happy with only flaunting her curves and smiling for the camera, she then joined SriLankan Airlines as a member of the cabin crew and even travelled around the world for two years before deciding on doing her higher studies. “It wasn’t easy because, I was flitting between flying and studying in the first year of my BA so it was quite a tester,” she said. Still, it made Shimalka stronger and committed to fulfilling her dreams of becoming a fashionista.

Studying for her B.A. in Fashion Designing at the Lanka Institute of Fashion Technology, Shimalka has an artistic flair about her and puts it to good use. “I was inspired to be an artist and a fashion designer because my mother is a designer for leather products and my father is a government official now”, said Shimalka, who has two older sisters.

Shimalka has experience in Sri Lanka’s modelling industry for a few years, modelling on the runway at the Colombo Fashion Week and strutting on the catwalk for many shows. Her advise to young women: “You should try your best in achieving your dreams, because if you put your heart into, you can do it.

Moreover, I felt that this time, there was no fighting or problems between the girls even though they were all vying for the same title,” she said. Twenty Four-year-old Shimalka believes that it’s not beauty that would make you the winner, but doing charitable acts which is important. “I am a volunteer at the Sri Maha Bodhi Trust where I teach underprivileged children art and craft and this has given me a better understanding of the little difference we can make in the world,” she said. Shimalka also believes that it’s natural beauty and not just changing your image that would make you a winner. “You have to be determined and have brains so my advice to girls is to study hard and achieve greater heights because once the beauty fades, it will be your brains and your occupation that will keep you going,” said Shimalka.

She hopes that people would understand that glitz and glamour of beauty pageants are not the be-all and end-all of life, there is plenty of hard work in shaping a true Miss Sri Lanka. “Like Nelson Mandela, I’m also keen in bringing about a charity brand which would be ethical and would be a fund-raiser for helping the unfortunate,” she said. Today, she has her own menswear brand called ‘Vswear’ which is a small brand with a big purpose in doing charitable things.

“I would like to thank everyone who supported me in my career and in the Miss Sri Lanka competition. It was a great achievement coming this far because even though I was first runner-up, the experience was worthwhile,” said Shimalka. She thanks her parents, sisters and her boyfriend, Chanditha Samaranayake. “I would also like to thank Indika Bandara, Darshi Keerthisena, Eric Sooriyasena, Janaka Bodaragama, Harpo Gooneratne, Dimal and Geram for all their help,” she said.

Pic: Chinthaka Kumarasinghe

Location : Fitness First gym at World Trade Centre, Colombo