Mrs India International holds anniversary photoshoot at Arad Fort

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain resident Shailla Khan is a model, social activist, event manager and special education teacher. The mother of three participated in the Jeeo King and Queen Mrs India International in 2019 and won the first runner up and Mrs Style Icon titles. She is a passionate poet too. On the occasion of Mr and Mrs Khan’s 15^th wedding anniversary, the family did a stylish photoshoot at the Arad Fort based on the theme of royalty. The NOB caught up with Shailla on her unique sense of celebration.

NOB: Tell us about your win at the Mrs India International 2019 contest.

Mrs Khan: I was the first runner up at the Jeeo King and Queen Mrs India International in 2019. The semi-finals were held in Dubai, UAE, and the finals were held in Kolkata, India. I represented the whole of the Middle East.  I had phenomenal experiences throughout the contest.  The pageantry had given a chance for married women like me to unleash their talents and expose their beauty. I was declared the winner in a matter of seconds, but the journey to reach there involved weeks of effort, time, extremely hard work in form of exercise, diet, travelling, and most importantly determination. I cannot afford to forget my support system, my husband, my parents, and my mother in law.

NOB: For how long have you been a Bahrain resident? Where are you from originally?

Mrs Khan: My first move with my family from the UK to Bahrain was in the year 2014. We moved to Kuwait in 2015 and came back to Bahrain in 2016. Again, we left Bahrain for Oman in 2018 and back in Bahrain in 2020.  Bahrain has been our hub ever since we left the UK.  We are from Delhi, India.

NOB: What is your profession?  Have you ever worked in Bahrain?

Mrs Khan: I am a special education teacher, motivational speaker, and compere and event manager. I have worked at the Alia National School here.

NOB: Tell us about your family.

Mrs Khan: I am blessed to have a loving husband, who is a chartered accountant from India and the UK, and three beautiful children. My husband, Shahnawaz is a partner with a global audit and advisory firm. Our elder daughter, Saira, aged 14, was born in India and is in grade 9. Our younger daughter Iqra, aged 11, was born in London and is in grade 6.  Both are currently attending online schooling from a UK-based school.  We also have a prince named Hamza who was born in Bahrain and is now three years old. Our three children were born in three different countries.

NOB: Whose idea was it to shoot at the Arad Fort for your anniversary?

Mrs Khan: That was my idea to re-create the memories of our wedding day and make the 15th anniversary as a memorable day in our life. We could not find any better location than Arad Fort, as it is a perfect location for a gala event and showcase our self as royals.

NOB: Please explain the concept of the shoot.

Mrs Khan: At the start of the year, we were planning to have a grand party for our 15th wedding anniversary. Due to Covid, the kids and me were stuck in India and my husband was in Bahrain.  While I was in India, I planned to do a shoot, which would make us feel happy and give a feeling of grandness. I searched at a lot of shops and boutiques to find the right clothes for the family. Ever since I am back in Bahrain around August, we were looking for locations across Bahrain to find something, which gives us a mix of Asian and Arabian culture, and yet showcase modern and authentic styles for a trend-conscious family who values high quality royal modern looks with some hidden gems of the city. Arad Fort made our shoot memorable and classy. There was a team of four professional photographers - Smita Ranjit Kotwal, Majeed Radhi Ali, Ruby Alva and Julieta Mendes Miranda.

NOB: What keeps you occupied throughout the day?

Mrs Khan: Passion keeps me occupied throughout the day. I am passionate about the well being of my family and me.  I believe in innovation and always try to improvise my looks, hairdo, my dressing, and the dressing of my family. I spend time in keeping myself and my family fit.  I keep myself busy and participate in chat shows, online contests, and write poems.  My show Shailla Khan Show keeps me busy, as I need to do a lot of preparations from finding guests to arranging the questions and organizing a live session every Saturday.  My motto in life is to always be busy with positive things.