At 55, I stepped onto the ramp; and a world of possibilities: Amrita Ravipati

At 55, Amrita Vijay Ravipati carries international crowns, an honorary doctorate for women empowerment, and a debut film as a producer, all within a span of a few years.
Her journey began when she enrolled for a pageant“I thought it would just be about a ramp walk. But the grooming lasted four months and was challenging,” she admits. Winning that title pushed her to compete in China, where she was crowned again. Soon after, she was honoured in Delhi with an honorary doctorate for women empowerment. “Now my name is prefixed with Dr, and that comes with responsibility,” she says.

She now plans to launch beauty pageants, focusing on Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. “Every woman has some hidden skill, especially housewives. I started at 55. If I can do it, why can’t others? Women need their own identity and financial independence. Their prefix is not just meant to be Mrs,” she affirms.
Parallelly, she has entered cinema as a producer. Her first Kannada film, Mudhol, starring Vikram Ravichandra, is slated for release soon. The film revolves around an intense mother-son relationship, with the Mudhol dog breed playing a pivotal role in the story. “It’s a very intense film. Vikram has done a fantastic job,” she says. As a woman producer in a largely male-dominated industry, she says, “We have come across very good people. We are mentally prepared for any outcome, because cinema ultimately depends on the audience’s pulse.”

Though originally from Mumbai, she has been in Bengaluru for nearly two decades. “This is home now,” she says simply.
For her, pageantry is not about appearance but resilience. “It’s not easy. It challenges you mentally and emotionally. But once you achieve something, it changes you. Only if I succeed can I inspire other women; and I’m just getting started," she adds.
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