GUWAHATI: Tall, beautiful and sexy, Tora Khasgir Borhani is an Indian supermodel of yesteryears, a former actress and a grooming expert. With a career spanning over 25 years, Tora found her footing by chance after being crowned the first runner-up at Miss Guwahati beauty pageant in 1993. Since then, there has been no looking back for this Assamese beauty.
Born in Nagaon district of Assam, Tora did most of her schooling from All Saints Diocesan Higher Secondary School, Shillong. However, she gave class 10 matriculation exams from Loyola English Medium High School, Nagaon and higher secondary education in arts from Handique Girls’ College, Guwahati. She went on to acquire a diploma in Naturopathy from All India Institute of Naturopathy and a degree in Neurotherapy from Dr Lajpatrai Mehra Ashram.
Describing herself as an ‘accidental model’, Tora told G Plus, “Ever since I was a young girl, I was more interested in athletics, National Cadet Corps (NCC) and other extra-curricular activities than in studies.”
Having cleared most of the NCC certificates, Tora was among the youngest cadets to be selected from the northeast to represent the region. She has also had the honour to lead the Guard of Honour for the Prime Minister’s rally in New Delhi for the RDC parade. Further, she was among the 22 cadets selected to represent India in Canada. In school and college level sports events, not only did Tora win in most of the sports like 100/200 meters’ sprint, javelin and shot-put, she has also won the best all-round athlete award a few times.
“I was never the one who wanted to get into this profession. My friends pulled me into it and submitted my form for Miss Guwahati. Back then, I sported a crew cut, wore baggy clothes and had no idea how to walk in a saree. Even though I won the first runner-up at the pageant, I thought that that was it and went back to sports and NCC until a renowned city-based designer spotted me and gave me the push I needed,” recalled Tora, speaking to G Plus.
Tora, who shifted to Mumbai soon after her 12th board examinations, has walked the ramps of A-list fashion designers of the country and abroad and worked with top models like Madhu Sapre, Milind Soman, Aishwarya Rai, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma to name a few. As an actress, Tora is known for her work in Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi... (1999), Dillagi (1999), Asambhav (2004), and Victoria No. 203: Diamonds Are Forever (2007).
5 feet 9 inches tall and with a body that could defrost the freezer, Tora took over Mumbai with her looks and walk. She was a Femina Miss India finalist in 1997, and the same year she was crowned the winner of Britannia Gladrags Mega Model. She has also been crowned first runner-up of Savvy Cover Girl contest 1996 (where she represented the whole of east India in Bombay).
Tora went on to participate in and win beauty pageants across the globe, including the prestigious Lakme Fashion Week. She was also associated with Gladrags as a celebrity grooming and training expert for a few years where she trained contestants of both Megamodel and Manhunt contests. There, she has trained noted models like Candice Pinto, Randeep Hooda, John Abraham and Aanchal Kumar.
In 2003, Tora won the Best Asian Model in the World award. She was also recently selected among the top 51 women of substance and is a recipient of the Northeast Cultural Icon Award from Ramoji Film City.
One of the very few models to worked with all rival brands – Slice, 7 Up, Limca, Tora has modelled in advertisements for Harley Davidson, Eveready, Levis, Hero Honda, etc. She has featured on the cover of Health Magazine for many years and had also done their first ad campaign.
“From the small city of Guwahati to Mumbai, the journey has been a roller coaster ride. I believe that to reach a certain level, there’s always a fast way and a hard way. I think I took the hard way,” Tora told G Plus.
Tora shifted back to Guwahati around 4 years ago. Currently, she’s married to Reza Borhani, a cinematographer and doctor who she married in Australia. She’s a mother of three – a 10 year old boy and a twin boy and girl.
She spends her time indulging in social work towards women empowerment in the region and provides training, grooming and personality development sessions to young talents. She has also been judging regional as well as national beauty pageants. In the coming month, Tora along with Mr India World 2007, Kawaljit Anand, will be conducting a personality development session in the city for all the aspiring models.
