-
Harvard Sophomore Sonia Dara Is SI's First Indian-American Swimsuit Model - Speakeasy - WSJ
- By Piyali Bhattacharya
- Dara, 20, is the first model of South Asian decent ever to be featured in the SI Swimsuit Issue.
- From both sides of my family, my ancestors are from Rajasthan. Although my extended family is now in Southern India, in Bangalore, and my immediate family is in Atlanta, it was very nice to go back to my roots and to have the opportunity to show off the beauty of Rajasthan — albeit indirectly through the SI Swimsuit shoot.
-
During your shoot in Rajasthan, you posed with some local women who cover their heads, as is local tradition. Did you feel it made them uncomfortable to pose with you in a bikini?
To be completely honest, I was the one who felt the most uneasy because I thought I was putting the women in a potentially uncomfortable situation. At first glance, the concept of a Hindu girl in Sports Illustrated might seem contradictory. With that in mind, I posed as elegantly as possible, in order to never undermine my Hindu upbringing. I really hope this is made clear in my photos.
-
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
