EXCLUSIVE: Person in the clothes should be the inspiration, says Ravi Dahiya after ramp debut

Silver medalist in wresting at Tokyo Olympics 2020 Ravi Kumar Dahiya made his runway debut on the second day of the Lakme Fashion Week The 23yearold freestyle wrestler turned showstopper for fashion designer Mohammed MazharDressed in a monochrome IndoBoho rustic outfit from the designerrsquos AutumnWinter 202122 Collection lsquoMeri Pyaari Khatrsquo Ravi Dahiya stunned the fashion fraternityldquoIt was definitely a great experiencerdquo says Ravi Dahiya in an exclusive conversation with middaycomHe adds ldquoWalking the ramp was as fun as walking across the mat to play my matchesrdquoOn being asked how he would use his newfound fame in fashion to inspire the youth Ravi Dahiya says ldquoThe person behind the clothes should always be the inspiration What you do for yourself and others should be the inspiration For me fashion and style is all about staying true to who you are and that is what people will believe inrdquoTalking about his backstage experience at the LFW Ravi Kumar Dahiya says ldquoIt was all about preparation quite like how we prepare train and warm up before our matches But here the preparations were different of course I have to say I was a bit nervous and had those butterflies in the stomach But watching people working so passionately behind the scenes motivated me and made me feel confidentrdquoThe most famous names of the fashion fraternity belong from the cities which empower them with the required exposure to make it big in the industry Dahiya the son of a farmer from Haryana walking the ramp on one of the most coveted fashion shows seems like an encouraging element for many aspiring models from tier 2 and tier 3 citiesAdding to the same chain of thoughts Dahiya says ldquoEveryone has a story their own journey and their own roots So many aspiring models and actors hail from small townsrdquoldquoMany athletes representing India hail from small towns or the villages of our country Thus the youth of the tier 2 and tier 3 towns of India are highly aspirational The biggest example of this is the designer I walked for Mohammed Mazhar is also from a small town like merdquo he addsWhen asked if he would like to share some of his fashion tips for his young admirers Ravi Dahiya says ldquoI am not a fashion expert but my favourite outfit is my wresting costume for sure and besides that a kurta or a tshirt with comfy pantsrdquoQuizzed about his future plans in wrestling and fashion the young wrestler said ldquoI am here because of wrestling so my focus is to represent India in the upcoming big tournaments and win gold for our country That will be my priorityrdquoldquoFor Fashion I think people will simply love seeing me wearing our India uniform with a gold medal around my neck and me holding our Tiranga high over my shoulder How is that for my Fashion plansrdquo he quipsAfter winning the silver medal at Tokyo Olympics Ravi is looking forward to winning at other big tournaments like the United World Wrestling Commonwealth and World Championships Birmingham 2022 commonwealth Games AsianGames and the Paris Olympics 2024Also View PHOTOS MS Dhoni CSK players celebrate IPL 2021 title win with their wives kids in Thala style