Walking the ramp

"Ever since I can remember, I dreamt of being in the limelight as a model,” writes Jenai Kavarana, Dubai based model, musician, budding artist and entrepreneur currently awaiting the results of her A Level examination. A 20-year-old guitar player who composes her own music, Kavarana states she has composed over 80 songs with several of them recorded. "I love performing in front of a willing crowd, music is my passion. I have taken part in many music competitions and have made it to the finals of ‘The Best of the Best’ and the ‘Ford Fusion Stars.’

Kavarana qualified into the final round for the Face of the Year competition sponsored by Himalaya and Sony that was held in Dubai. "It …taught me a lot more about the modeling industry and made me want to become part of the ‘modeling world’ through the industry... it was an amazing experience!”

Having taken Art as her main subject for her GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education) where she is said to have scored the maximum 100, she is pursuing Art for her A Levels along with Product Design and Business Studies. These three subjects are essential for communication design, she says, adding, "I will be well equipped to work with all sorts of materials: timber, acrylic, canvas, paper, etc and will have a strong business background when I start university.”

Kavarana claims to enjoy challenging herself — working with 3D sculptures and products, learning the characteristics of new materials. "This year I decided to explore the contentious issue of AIDS through my art journal, as I wanted to explore the dark world that people are so afraid of. Alongside I am working on an architectural project in Product Analysis where I am designing the envelope of a ‘cosmetic surgery resort’ as well as a drawing package of the interiors of the hotel.” The resort is part of the business proposal that she gave Dr Sulaiman Fahim, the CEO (chief executive officer) of Hydra Properties, she writes. It got her into the show "Hydra Executives.” Participation in the show has changed her approach to business studies, she notes.

"To be an artist is to believe in life,” Kavarana quotes Sir Henry Moore, adding, "I believe that one must seize every opportunity to showcase one’s talents in order to share his/her creativity with the world. Art to me is not simply a career or a hobby, rather an innate passion that guides me to live my life to the fullest. Whether I’m painting, singing or modeling… I always have this fervent interest in humanity.” Kavarana aspires to be an art director, "the best in the business.”

Jenai Kavarana: a proud and well-endowed Parsi

She started modeling when she was15, on weekends. The industry has taught her patience and respect for teamwork "as each shoot can only be successful with a team.” In February 2007 she represented Dubai at the Femina Miss India Contest — her breakthrough in the pageant world. "I came up to the semi-finals but unfortunately did not make it to the finals.” However the pageant was a stepping stone for her to other contests and in February 2009 she represented the Middle East at the Miss India Worldwide pageant in South Africa. "The modeling and pageant industries have given me a lot of self-assurance, as I know that nothing is impossible,” declares Kavarana who was introduced to Parsiana by reader Nawshir Khurody.

The daughter of Gulshan and Zeheer Kavarana migrated to Dubai with her parents when she was seven years old. When her younger sister Zara was born and reacted adversely to her second dose of DPT vaccine at the age of four months, Jenai writes, "I used art and music to cope with the changes that were going on. But I accepted Zara immediately — she was my only sister and all that I could do was love her... She continues to play a major role in my life — she has taught me so many things through her silence such as acceptance, love and respect.”

Zeheer Kavarana works for the Afloat Repair Division of Drydocks World Dubai. Gulshan is founder of Special Families Support (SFS) group in Dubai and a volunteer at the Dubai Center for Special Needs where Zara is a student. Jenai designed and branded the SFS logo, letterheads, envelopes, banners, posters, membership forms, certificates, etc as part of her Graphic Products GCSE coursework. "I am honored that they appreciated my hard work and designs and use this branding today,” she writes.

Jenai says she has grown up on "the virtues of humata, hukhta, huvarashta… I do the Mushkil Asan every Friday and have faith in our religion — I am who I am today due to my faith and belief in Ahura Mazda.”

She is proud to be a Parsi: "I love to educate people on our history and though we are declining in numbers every year I joke and say that they should be honored to be in the presence of a Parsi as there aren’t that many of us left!” But her family is her backbone: "I would not be where I am without all their support — they are always there for me...”