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For many, body shaming is something one is expected to “just ignore”, but for Divyashini Anbarasan, those painful moments became the turning point that pushed her to rebuild herself mentally, physically, and professionally.
Born and raised in KL, 24-year-old Divyashini Anbarasan has become a familiar name in the Indian community for her fitness journey and success as a young entrepreneur who runs two brands of her own.
Divya also holds a Diploma in hairdressing and is currently focused on what she loves most: running her own businesses and building her dreams one step at a time.
Early struggles with body shaming
Divya shared that her weight gain journey happened during a phase filled with stress, imbalance, and not prioritising herself. But instead of letting that phase break her, it shaped her. She weighed 78 kg and successfully reduced her weight to 56 kg through hard work and dedication.
“That period taught me discipline, self-awareness, and resilience. Honestly, that was what sparked my transformation.
“However, the initial body-shaming I experienced hit me hard. The hurtful comments didn’t come from strangers, they came from people close to me, including my own relatives.
Divya added that despite the many years that have passed, some still linger deeply in her mind and continue to send a twinge a pain whenever she reminisces on it.
Choosing herself over hurtful words
After hearing repeated comments from close relatives and being unfairly compared to her partner, Divya reached her breaking point and was left feeling emotionally exhausted.
One day, Divya looked at herself and realised something important. She didn’t want to keep feeling insecure or letting others define her worth. And that was when she decided to turn towards fitness.
“When I started my fitness journey, I spoke openly to my boyfriend and family whenever I felt hurt. Their constant reminders of my worth helped me heal mentally and I gradually stop letting other people’s words control my emotions.
“Just like everyone else, there were times I felt like giving up many times. But my coach pushed me beyond my limits and helped me see how strong I really was, while my family and boyfriend stood by me with endless support that kept me going even through the toughest days,” she said.
Divya’s fitness journey reached a milestone this year when she made her debut at the Bangkok Redline Competition and made it into the Top15 with a time of 23:01 seconds.
With this, I proved to myself that I’m capable of so much more than I ever imagined.
Turning passion into business
Divya’s first brand, SehyashFashion, was born out of her love for fashion and she said it is a brand that pushed her out of her comfort zone, helped her create content, and express herself confidently.
SehyashFashion offers clothes across a wide range of sizes, which is largely inspired by Divya’s own experiences with body shaming, and her goal is to make everyone feel confident, comfortable, and safe through fashion.
As for her second brand, Dip & Drizzle, it started off as an idea she discussed with her boyfriend and together they decided to create their own version with unique recipes.
When asked what were her biggest challenges, Divya said it was balancing time and proving herself to others.
“While most people my age were focused on studies, I had to quickly learn business skills, manage responsibilities, and make big decisions on my own.
“There were doubts from others and sometimes from myself, but I learned to stay focused and carry on.
“At first, income was very unstable as some months would see high sales, while others would experience a downturn. But with consistency and support, things are now growing steadily and it has helped me to more independent, plan better and understand my customers.”
Divya said she wants to lead by example and show that with confidence, hard work, and self-belief, women like her can build their own paths, no matter what others say.
I’d say to keep going, even if it’s small steps at a time.
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