Abom Soki Yekar, who always dreamed of winning Ms. Arunachal, was often mocked for her weight. Still, she left no stone unturned to prove her critics wrong. Yekar, a 39-year-old woman from Daporijo in Upper Subansiri district, was recently crowned Mrs. Arunachal 2026 and is now aiming for the Mrs. India title.
Recalling her struggles while pursuing her dream of winning a beauty pageant, Yekar told Livemint that two years ago she weighed around 130 kg and faced heavy criticism for participating in pageants for two reasons – her weight and being a mother of five.
“My weight was around 130 kg two years ago and it was very difficult for me to go out or meet my friends. Deep down I was very insecure. I still remember when I started my weight loss journey, I told a few people that if I lost weight properly, I would like to try Ms. Arunachal at least once in my life.”
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‘People laughed at me’
The 39-year-old, who describes herself as a “housewife and entrepreneur,” said she faced ongoing discouragement, with several people even criticizing modeling as a profession.
“I expected them to support me… but instead they laughed at me. They said, ‘Just look at you… how are you going to do it? You’re overweight… do you really think you can lose weight and become fit? You’re already a mother of five… You look old. How do you leave your children and go to this line?’ Some people even judged the pageant industry itself and said negative things about women who chose this path,” she said.
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A journey led by a goal, not just weight loss
When she finally started her weight loss journey in her early 30s, she did so with a clear goal in mind. “Not just lose weight, but live your dream.”
However, her transformation was far from simple. She struggled with many health problems.
“Because of my weight, my body was in a very bad state. I had problems with my cholesterol, my liver and even my breathing. Everything became difficult. I wasn’t really living my life… I was just sitting and eating and I didn’t feel like myself anymore.”
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Family support kept her going
While many doubted her, her family became her strongest support.
“Most people said, ‘No, you can’t do it.’ But my husband always said, ‘You have to do it.’ My mom motivated me a lot.’
From 130kg to 63kg: Lifestyle Changes That Worked
When asked about the changes she made to bring down her weight – now at 63 kg – Yekar said she went to Bengaluru for weight loss treatment but saw little improvement and later suffered a minor stroke. She then focused on changing her lifestyle and improving her diet.
“I was a total foodie and I feel that was one of the main reasons for my obesity. So I started making small changes. I started doing yoga regularly, cut out maida (refined flour) and chai (tea) completely and focused on clean and healthy food. I slowly started living a much healthier lifestyle.
At home, I make sure we follow a proper regimen and also motivate my husband to stay fit because I want the whole family to be healthy,” she said.
Now an inspiration to many
He now sees his journey as both an inspiration and a responsibility.
“Because of my weight loss journey, I feel like I’ve inspired a lot of people… I have a responsibility to stand strong, lead by example and show others that change is possible.”
