UNAIR NEWS – The girl with slender figure was just finished with her class that day. She walked down the stairs and smiled to us. “Hello! We finally met,” said Elvira Devinamira to the Newsroom crew.

She was just finished her class on “Arbitration Law” in a room on the third floor of Building A Faculty of Law  Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR). The lecture was attended for her graduation requirement to be a bachelor on Law.

Since she won a pageant contest Putri Indonesia 2014, Elvira had to postpone her study for one and a half year. She was named as Putri Indonesia 2014, she had to prepare for Miss Universe 2014.

After the competition, she could not continue her study right away. There were a lot of press conferences and offers for her. They were opportunities not to be missed.

“At that time I thought that chances do not come often. If I had not taken them, they would have been wasted. Now I am glad as I can manage my time,’ said the Best National Costume Winner in Miss Universe 2014.

After the contest finished, Elvira went back to her activities as a student. Even though she is now an entertainer, Elvira takes the trip Jakarta – Surabaya once a week. In 2016, the girl with 1.78 m height has targeted to finish her bachelor program.

“I still have two more courses to finish for graduation requirement. My thesis is not far from tourism and cultures in Indonesia,” she said.

Having a modeling activity and competed in a pageant contest were not her own dreams. Her mother Henida Prabawati, has pushed her for these non-academic abilities.

“Because of my mom. She thought my academic hardskill was enough. I was a cum laude student, now it’s time to explore my potentials outside campus. I believe Allah blessings are my parents blessings,’ she added.

Food and family gathering are two things she missed when she was in Miami, Florida, the USA, for Miss Universe 2014. “What I had missed much were food and family cook. There I couldn’t see anyone for a month. Not even my family,” said the girl born on June 28, 1993.

Beautiful

For Elvira, Miss Universe was not only about pageant. It was more than that, it was about personality and potentials.

“It’s not just about beauty. It’s about personality, and how you behave yourself. In that event, I did not represented Elvira, but Indonesia. If you are called, maybe they will not remember your name but they will remember Indonesia,’ she said about her struggle in Miss Universe 2014.

In an interview session with the judge, Elvira talked about law enforcement in Indonesia. “I told them that Indonesian law protects the women. They equal with men in the eyes of the law. We are civil law, the country obeys the law,” she said.

Miss Universe is an international competition which gave her many memorable memories. She admitted that even the competition ended in 2015, her connection with the other contestants is maintained well. She and her friends from Miss Universe often gathered to hold a reunion.

“Meeting 88 people from around the world was the most memorable. I got a lot of friends. Every time I go to a certain country, I have a friend to visit,” she said happily.

Study Continuation

At the moment, while doing her routine in entertainment business, Elvira focuses on her study. She aimed for graduation this year. It is her only wish for now to make her parents proud.

Asked about her dreams, she said that she had wanted to be a diplomatic official. But now she realized that it is difficult to be one. She had to let go many things to take on the profession.

“For my study continuation, maybe I will stay in Jakarta. I wanted to use this legal study as my defense. In business entertainment, business law, contract deals, movie deals. I do not always sign things, I always read them through, to make sure that there are no violations. Carefulness is from my field of study. To me, law is used on a daily basis, not only about career and positions,” she said.

Many achievements made by Elvira was from her struggle and hardwork. Her motto, “Achievements will never betray hardwork.”

“Whatever you do and dream, make sure there’s sacrifice and efforts. Maybe it feels bitter upfront but it will be sweet later on as they will never go in vain,” she said. (*)

Author : Binti Q. Masruroh
Editor: Defrina Sukma S.