Former model Shvetha Jaishankar pens her first book 'Gorgeous: Eat Well, Look Great'

Shvetha JaishankarThe Last time we heard of Shvetha Jaishankar it was nearly six years ago For someone who witnessed fame very early on in her modelling career mdash crowned Miss India International in 1998 Shvetha decided to call it quits even sooner when she married Mahesh Bhupati one of Indias most celebrated sporting faces in 2003 The selfimposed sabbatical that came with the abrupt end of that love story however isnt something that Shvetha has ever regrettedNina ManuelIn the last few years there has been a whirlwind of change in her life From finding love again mdash Shvetha married Chennaibased businessman Raghu Kailas in 2011 mdash to becoming a mother of two beautiful daughters aged 3 and 15 years she has now gone on to pen her first book Gorgeous Eat Well Look Great with HarperCollins India Each stage of life has added to the next in beautiful and unusual ways the writer says over the phone from her home in Chennai I am glad I had such diverse experiences and even disappointing ones They have made me stronger and wiser and in some ways left me amazed at how life can keep teaching you new things she adds contentedly Shvetha who is now a handson mum describes this phase of life as gorgeous mdash that it inspired the title of her book is not lost to usUjjwala RautHer foray into the world of writing happened accidentally After my two kids I put on a lot of weight and did not feel great Life had become too busy and fitness took a backseat But I had always relished tasty food So I wanted to find a way to eat what I truly liked and also look and feel my best even as I aged and metabolism slowed downHer own journey to getting back to eating healthy and right has now found way into this book For a cookery guide Shvethas book is quite unusual Peppered with easytomake recipes her food narrative is also interspersed with stories from former top model friends and colleagues who were more than willing to share their secret to achieving the fine balance between good food and looking your best I made a long list of models across generations and started speaking to them Many were former colleagues I had lost touch with but remember sharing many meals with I wanted to know if they still ate the way they did what had changed what had remained Through the making of the book I reconnected with many others in the fashion field and it was heart warming to do thatNayanika ChatterjeeIt actually felt like a college reunion of sorts the former runway model recallsFormer supermodels Sheetal Mallar Fleur Xavier Nina Manuel Milind Soman Dipannita Sharma Atwal among many others have contributed to the book Some even shared recipes And then there is WhatsApp thats still the meeting point for many of her model friends now settled abroad We have a group quirkily named I would get whacked if I reveal it and we talk about a lot of things including motherhoodhellip That brings us to Shvetha the mum If she had her way thats probably what shed most talk about My kids are the best gifts I have ever received It is a humbling feeling As a model you always came first and then suddenly you are only gauging yourself as a mother to your children But I will also say that its tough because your life isnt yours anymore and there is no going back I have to be honest that there were moments when I was bawling about this It took a lot of energy and will power to get myself to start taking care of myself again she saysSheetal MallarShvetha remembers clawing out time to get her rhythm back When you take care of yourself you can take care of those around you better It is the key to a gorgeous life Many of the models in my book took care of themselves right through their pregnancy and after their children were born This was inspiring for me she adds In the book Shvetha writes of how Indias first supermodel Madhu Sapre is a perfect example of someone who has managed to strike that balance she enjoys being a hands on mother to her daughter Indira Madhu believes that being obsessive about your body and what you eat is a waste of time Instead she remains fit and graceful by balancing discipline with funThat food is so central to the lives of these former slendersizedwomen is the biggest takeway from this book It pains me that there is a strong association in society between looking good and denying yourself food Shvetha says Like she writes in her book My idea of beauty has changed I am now more conscious about what makes me feel centered and energised to take on lifes myriad hues