With my win, J&K in news for right reason: Miss India runner-up

Femina Miss India 2017's first runner-up Sana Dua, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, says she feels happy and proud that with her victory, her state is in the news for the right season.

Considering there is constant political turmoil in the Kashmir Valley, asked about her feelings of coming from that state to win the first runner-up crown in the beauty pageant, Sana told IANS: "Well, you are right. Our Jammu and Kashmir is in news mostly for wrong reasons, but thankfully this time, (it is in news) for the right reason... For a very good reason."

"And I hope to make them (the state) very proud... I think only some parts of the state are dealing with disturbance, rest of it is doing well," Sana said.

How does she hope to utilise the title in the near futureIJ

"I want to work on girls' education because we all know that if a girl in a household is educated, the whole family is educated. I am happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is already working towards the cause.

"I will also be working towards that at an individual level," said Sana.

Having grown up in an army background, Sana has travelled to different cities with her parents and finished her graduation in law at Panjab University, before entering the glamour world.

Asked about what made her take up modelling instead of practising law, she said: "I always wanted to keep my Plan B ready because you never know what would happen... But my parents were very supportive from the beginning."

According to Sana, she is open to every opportunity in acting and to build a career in Bollywood.

Any actors who she would like to share screen space withIJ

"I know it might sound different, but I want to act with Deepika Padukone. She is one of the personalities that I really look up to... She is inspirational. And I would love to meet her and share screen space with her.

"When it comes to a (male) actor, it would be Ranveer Singh. He is such a good energetic person."