ShaLvina Shristi Deo credits her accomplishments to her supportive family and her fashion sense to her mother and sister.
Shalvina, as she is called by those close to her, attended Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) College when residing in Nabua during her high school days.
She is originally from Labasa and she is a bachelors student at the Fiji National University (FNU) majoring in accounting and marketing.
She also works part time at Friendly Building Contractors Ltd as an assistant accountant. The part-time accountant finds working and studying very interesting and says she loves doing both.
“It’s a bit tough but by the help of my family I can manage to do it both,”
Her elder sister, Sonal, who Shalvina says is her secret keeper, is always travelling together with her around Fiji, exploring new things.
The 21-year-old loves her family.
“For me, family is life, and life is living every moment to the fullest with dignity and respect,” Shalvina said.
“We have a total of nine members in my family inclusive of parents, grandparents, siblings and cousins. It’s an extended, happy family.”
Shalvina joined contemporary dancing classes in 2015 with VOU Dance School because dancing for her means feeling free.
“It is also a good way of exercising,” she explained.
Her passion includes helping others, travelling and exploring, fashion and food.
After Severe Tropical Cyclone Winston last year, Shalvina and her partner, Alvin Lal, felt compelled to do something for those people who were affected by the natural disaster, knowing that any help that they could provide would go a long way for the affected families and communities.
“We had gone down to the affected areas and distributed food and other goods that were needed. It just feels right to help those in need,” she said.
She describes herself as hardworking, a fashionista because she is always “dressed up”, and an open-minded person.
