I wish to inspire young South Asian women and break cultural norms.

Meet our cover star this month: Kirti Saxena – An Athlete, Model, Engineer, and Artist born and raised in Canada.

Kirti started wrestling when she was 9 years old. She was place first in Canada at the age of 14. She was then placed 5th in the world the following year.

Besides excelling in the field of wrestling, Kirti is also making a mark in the modelling and acting world.

We sat with Kirti this month to bring this exclusive interview for our readers.

Please introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Kirti Saxena. I am born and raised in Canada, more specifically within the GTA. Coming from immigrant parents.  I have the attitude of taking on every opportunity that comes my way and overcoming challenges comes naturally.

Tell us about your education.
I am completing my third year of undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto. My major is Mechanical Engineering with specializations in mechatronics, machine learning & AI and biomedical engineering.

Share some of your childhood memories.
I grew up with a strict regimen. Most of the my summers were spent training for world championships or international tournaments. The best memories were after tournaments, re-watching my matches with my parents and seeing my mother’s reaction. She gets uneasy watching me fight.

What motivated you to get into Engineering?
My big brother is a computer engineer and growing up I always looked up to him. In high school I found that I was creative and was good at math and science. And so I put my strengths together and went for an engineering program.

How and when did you discover the wrestler in you?
I started wrestling as a child when I was 9 years old. I purely did it for fitness and was not a big fan of it but grew up competing. In grade 9 (age 14) I placed first in Canada in my division and made it to the Team Canada that year. I realized that if I worked harder and focused on wrestling that I could do well. The next year I placed 5th in the World in my division.

How easy was it to take wresting professionally? Did your family support you?
My dad went to the Olympics for wrestling and is my high performance coach. Akhara of Champions is the high performance wrestling club I train at and it is my family’s business. Both of my parents and family are very supportive.

2016 – Cadet World Championships 2016 –                                                     Cadet World Championships (Canada VS Bulgaria)                                       2019 Ontario Provincial Championship

What are some of your achievements in wrestling?

• Multiple time national and provincial champion.
• Representing Team Canada since 2014.
• 2020 Olympic trials participant.
• 5th place at the Cadet World Championships in 2016.
• 10th place at the Cadet World Championships in 2017.
• Intercollegiate wrestler representing the Varsity Blues at the University of Toronto.
• Placed 6th at U-Sports in 2020.
• Team Captain of the Women’s varsity wrestling team at UofT.

What is your dream or goal as a wrestler?
I wish to inspire young South Asian women and break cultural norms. It is typical for south Asian women not be encouraged to pursue athletics or intense educational programs in order to raise a family and get married. It is especially rare to be a fighter as a South Asian woman.

How and when did you get into modelling? Who or what inspired you?
I was scouted coming back to Toronto from Greece for my second world championships. On the plane once we landed in Toronto, an agent gave me his card. Being around 16 years old, I didn’t take the agent seriously and threw away the card. Ever since then I had gotten a bunch of signs to model throughout the years. It also made sense with my athletic lifestyle. I got signed to an agency in Toronto about 2 years ago and everything has skyrocketed since then. My next step would be to take on the international market once I finish my undergraduate degree.

What types of modelling do you do?
I am a fashion model and actor, meaning that I am able to do commercial work, act as a fitness model, editorial and much more. I am available for all types of fashion modelling.

What was your first modelling project?
My first project was a commercial for LinkedIn. Apparently I got the job due to my smile being “picture perfect”. Not sure if it ever aired, but it was cool to be a part of a big project like that.

What do you like about modelling and what are its drawbacks?
I like that I am able to creative and use my body to emote a certain type of feeling or aura. I am also into fashion and love to be able to wear different designers creations. Drawbacks include people not really caring about where you are from or what you have achieved. If you go to a casting and have the look, you get the job. If you don’t match the requirements, you don’t get the job. Who you are isn’t taken into consideration. Therefore in some cases, this can make you feel defeated. I like to look at it in a humbling way and remain confident in myself.

What was the most important moment in your life? And in your career?
Some important moments in my life include working through my injuries, being able to get back on the mat and make a comeback. It takes a lot of physical work and mental toughness, which I prove to have every time something like that happens.
In my academic career, finishing my undergraduate degree will be a great joy for myself and my family included.

What are your secrets to being fit and looking beautiful?
Beauty depends on your personal definition. Eating healthy, working out, enjoying yourself and remaining confident in your work ethic are all things that will make you the most beautiful version of yourself and be unique to you.

What are some of your other hobbies?
I like to play a lot of  recreational. In high school, I was a part of every sports team possible. My favourites include Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball and Soccer.

How and when did you discover your artistic side?
I was always an artistic kid. My sister would take me to the library every weekend growing up and give me paints and paper to make artwork with.

                                                             Chaotic Serenity                                                                                                                                 Pastel Warmth               

What is your favorite medium for producing your art? Digital or physical?
I create physical artwork first. Mostly canvas paintings or pen sketches. I then transfer it to a digital platform and use Adobe to change certain parts of the artwork and make it look cleaner.

Can you describe your studio? What’s the most indispensable item in your studio?
My sketch book. I have so many random idea’s and sketches in that book. It was one of the best things my mother ever bought me.

Give us some of your favorite hangout spots in Toronto.
A place close to campus is Future’s bistro. I really like the fact that you can study there, eat a variety of food and just chill. It’s also nice to see the type of people that come and go. I love their carrot cake. Another place a block down or so is the slanted door. It’s a beautiful café with artwork all around the café representing a variety of artists. I go there to study and for inspiration.

Your message for our readers.
I like to call my grind an elegant hustle. Don’t be afraid to break social norms, and go against what people say is impossible to do. If you create your own odd’s, there is no need to break the odds that are already set in place. You will automatically set the new standard.

Your message for us at TorontoPages (TOPS)?
Thank you for the feature! I appreciate the spotlight on local personalities and hope to read about more interesting people from my city!

Cover Photo by: @gjverellen