Interview of Isha Farha Quraishy

Former Mrs. Universe 2019 Solidarity Title Winner, Mrs. International (2018) – Isha Farah Quraishy wears many hats with perfect ease. She is a very inspiring talent powerhouse thriving in the fields of beauty, fashion, art and digital transformation in education.

Here is what Isha shares with us in her interview.

Isha tell us about you and share some interesting facts from your career and journey.

I am a born artist. I have established my presence as creative artist, an actress, model, and in the realm of digitization as an innovator. I am Mrs. Universe 2019 Solidarity Title Winner. It was a great achievement for me, as I was the only representative from the Middle East among the 92 participating countries.

I am also a social activist. I have worked towards the cause of women empowerment. My different talks about women empowerment are much revered by the audience. Apart from this, I have been delivering keynotes in many international forums and conferences. I am also an international public speaker. I have supported various NGOs, and I also have an NGO, called IFQ (Isha Farah Quraishy), back in India as well. I am also a part of the World Leader’s Forum, Dubai. I have been awarded the Corona Warrior for supporting Covid resilience during the pandemic. I am a member of the World Leaders Forum Dubai. I am also the Middle East coordinator for World Malayalee Federation. When it comes to social work, I have been actively participating in social causes in Dubai.

From my work as an actress, a Bollywood movie The Buk is coming on air in two to three months, which will be followed by a Hollywood periodic movie under my production IFIP (Isha Farha International productions) featuring the story of an empress. These two movies are coming soon to excite my fans. My first Regional Film is “Vidhooshakan” screened in International FiIm.

I am a technology expert by profession. I work in the corporate head office of the region’s largest international education company, which is the largest K12 operator of the world . Here, we are developing cutting edge AI powered educational technology with a greater vision to make education accessible to every child without difference. Technology is the powerful tool that is ensuring global accessibility and will continue to bring innovation forward to accelerate further accessibility even in less developed regions.

“Women are created to multitask and excel at it. The world should not expect otherwise from us” – Isha Farah Quraishy

About Isha Connected Series.

Isha Connected Series is solo artwork by internationally celebrated artist, Bollywood Art designer, Koshal Choudhary. It is all about the spiritual connection to god. I am honored to be the muse for such a well-known creative artist. The series comprises of 30 pieces of art and it was launched on my birthday in March 30, 2022. K. Choudhary looked for a face to represent spirituality in his art for twelve years and chose me to be the “Face as a true Integrator” (in his words) to express his art. He found his muse in me. My spiritual energy connected with the energy and theme of his art. He felt he could find the connection between art, god, universe, and his audience through me. I am really grateful to Koshal Choudhary for choosing me for his works. The whole series is highly mesmerizing. The art is displayed in The Workshop Jumierah, Dubai.

What has been your greatest inspiration?

My greatest inspiration has been the challenges. Anything that blocks my way, becomes a way forward to find something new and exciting. Every new challenge brings new opportunities and takes me on a new journey. I get redirected towards discovering more of my abilities to come back stronger and more successful.

Did you have a mentor? If yes, tell us more about the ways in which you benefited from this experience.

I have been always guided and advised by various mentors including my childhood teachers, social workers in my early adolescence and my choreographer who helped me in bringing out the best in me. I believe in different stages of life, there will be different mentors who would help you find your strengths and be a better version of you. Currently, an energy healer in Toronto is my mentor who is guiding me through life and professional journey. My mother is another of my mentors as she has been a true source of guidance for me from day one.

How do you manage all your roles at same time? Passion and profession …

Wearing different hats is not something easy. I am managing many roles. They are a blend of my talent, passion and professional work. Self-discipline is the key to ensure there is balance and you are able to do good in all activities. I have relied on self-discipline for my success in all that I do. I prioritize consistently. This helps me in keeping focused flow that does not let things become difficult for me. I strongly believing in giving my 100% to whatever I do and as I have good management skills, I am able to manage well.

What are top characteristics a woman desiring success in digital field must cultivate?

Women are less in digital field as it is more male dominated. The digital field offers more sustainable career to women. Take for instance, the case of the Coronavirus pandemic, the most jobs were created in digital technology field; and in all sectors, it was technology that saved many. This is the field that will continue to thrive. Therefore, women should build their career in digitization and technology. Women in the digital field must have zest for learning. They should cultivate innovation and continue to build new systems and programs. They should let their multitasking skills evolve. Resilience is important. I believe women are naturally resilient and therefore, they will make use of this trait when they are working and seeking to thrive in the field of technology. Moreover, making best of all opportunities should not be ignored ever.

“Life can never be smooth and it is understandable that resilience is our saving grace” – Isha Farah Quraishy.

What is your ultimate goal and vision in life?

My goal is something that keeps shifting and there is nothing ultimate about any of the goals. I never wanted to set an ultimate goal because once we set an ultimate goal, you achieve it, that is the end. I want to go with the flow; therefore, I have milestones that keep evolving. Some are small milestones while other are big. Achieving them makes me set new and move on. Many of my achievements and awards were milestones and I am happy I have been able to accomplish. I have received many awards during my career. I have been awarded, The Global Woman Icon 2020, Top 50 Inspiring Women 2021, The She Awards Global 2022, The Inspirational Woman 2020, The Model of the Year 2020 and The Lifestyle Influencer Award 2022 among many to mention.

Did you face any challenges in life? How did you overcome them?

There were many challenging situations in my life but the bumpy roads are always exciting as they make us more resilient. It is how you handle problems and how quickly you bounce back to normal that matters. The dark side of you should not pull you down or make you weak when you are facing a challenge. You should be able to bounce back and come back stronger. I always focus on solutions rather than the problem.

How your role as a beauty queen or international celebrity supports your career in tech industry and vice versa?

I enjoy being versatile. Be it art and entertainment or the field of technology I enjoy working so well that I stand out. I know these are two different fields but both offer me varied challenges to satiate my spirit and fulfill the purpose of my life. I can impact lives in both ways. Interestingly, it busts stereotypes about women. The belief that beauty does not have brains is busted through my performance in these two fields. Your real person goes beyond stereotypes and the real core gives you strength to excel at many things at a time. You may wear many hats and look excellent in all of them. Confidence and intelligence count!