More than just beauty

The current Miss India Gauteng, Nicolette Gopaul, is using her title to empower and inspire others.

She lives and works in Sandton but wants to broaden her horizons all over the nation and the world.

She has written a book, My Dynasty and said it was aimed at empowering young adults. She wants to provide the youth with the tools necessary to overcome the negative circumstances that they so often face in life.

“I believe that I was born to speak, inspire, influence and write,” she said. “I have always been a writer at heart. “The words, themes and ideas flow naturally. I generally draw inspiration from my surroundings, from the people, places and cultures that I surround myself with.

“I also relate to the different walks and struggles that people face in life and enjoy writing from a viewpoint of empathy relating to people’s life experiences. Knowing that I have the potential and power to impact and influence people through literature is inspiration enough for me to work harder.”

Gopaul said she was facing personal hardships at the time she wrote her book. She said writing it helped her work through the struggles that she had faced and it was inspired by the difficult circumstances faced by many of the youth in South Africa.

In light of the recent student unrest in the country, Gopaul said, “I am a change agent and an optimist at heart. “Irrespective of the recent controversies that we have been facing as a country, I believe that we should all be inspired to make positive contributions to the enrichment and betterment of our nation.”

Gopaul tutors youth in underprivileged areas and is determined to help improve the lives of young people in South Africa.