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span class="inline inline-left">JP/Indah SetiawatiWhen she was little, Anita Kapoor wanted to be a ballerina and athlete. Now Asia’s popular TV host seems to have the world at her feet.

Sitting cross-legged in a knee-length blue dress, the travel show host talked in a rapid fire, both passionate and articulate, elaborating every detail with confidence.

 “I’ve never been here. I’ve passed through for transit once but this is my first real visit to Jakarta,” she said enthusiastically.

“And yet, I’ve already experienced the traffic and the protests,” she said, referring to rallies held by protesters that she saw when she visited the capital recently to host an event held by a cable TV company.

Anita found it fascinating to see people power up close and particularly how these individuals were speaking their minds through protest, something she had rarely seen in Singapore, her present home.

Born in Mumbai, India, nearly 40 years ago, Anita has made Singapore her home since 1978, developing her interests in many things, from food to travel and history.

She admitted that she was not fully aware where her passion would lead her, but was grateful for her decision to take the path that she is now on.

“I always wanted to do something that was creative and I knew that I would always love doing something with people. But I never knew that it would turn out like this,” she says.

Growing up, little Anita had different careers in mind, such as dancing and sporting.

“I did a lot of performances when I was a kid, like singing and dancing. But I never wanted to become a singer,” she says.

She said she always wanted to become a ballerina, fascinated by their beautiful costumes and elegant postures.

Running was her other passion, leading to her wanting to become an athlete.

Today, Anita has her own TV shows, is an editor and writer for prestigious magazines and newspapers and has also taken her chance as voiceover artist – all in between hosting high-end events.

Her present career path did not emerge instantly.

Anita used to work as an editor at Elle magazine when one day, she decided to join the Discovery Travel and Adventure channel’s search for a Singapore host in 2003.

“I said to myself, ‘OK, I’ll give it a shot, not expecting anything’. And I think in my life whenever I have had no real big expectation, a lot of magic has happened,” she says.

Anita got the job, hosting the lifestyle program Secret Singapore.

Soon, the door to more TV shows opened and she happily took the chance.

It was then she realized that her true passion was to be around people and to deliver an authentic performance.

Being a presenter fits her talkative and confident nature, which have been two of her strongest character traits since she was young.

“I remember that when I was a kid, I went to primary school in Singapore. The teacher put sellotape on my mouth because I talked so much. I got punished all the time for talking,” she giggled.

She also hosted programs related to passion, beauty and the secrets of modern women while fronting a travel show called Exotic Escapes that took her to China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Last year she did another show for Lonely Planet and a further project, due to be aired early next year, will see her involved in a brand new travel show on contemporary Asia for cable TV.

While enjoying trips to exotic places and tasting different culinary offerings, Anita found that meeting people was her biggest passion, something that satisfied her soul.

“The whole point of traveling is not just about you living in your own little world. It is to immerse yourself in another world,” she says.

Anita added that her mother was the source of her inspiration. Her mother’s life changed overnight after the death of Anita’s father 18 years ago, but she managed to pick up the pieces and move on.

Anita described her mother as a very independent woman, who had her own job and career.

“For me, my mother is my guiding light. She is my greatest fan. She is the person who will tell me straight if I look good or not because everything comes from her heart,” she said.

Anita’s world changed when her mother suffered a second stroke in 2007. She recovered but it made Anita realize she could no longer think solely of her own happiness and life, fully aware that her mother now needed her more than ever.

“The process changed me. It made me a better person, more responsible and it showed me what it was like to reach the very bottom,” she says.

“I think everybody must experience that in their lives because you don’t have any idea [what is it like] unless you have experienced some form of sadness.”

Anita does not hesitate in expressing her opinions and concerns, having recently openly blasted a TV advertisement about a diet program on one of her two blogs.

She said that the ad, which targeted women by promoting a correlation between weight, happiness and success, was an insult to women around the world.

“I don’t like the way the story was put across. Why is it that when a woman is not a perfect size, she is deemed a loser? This is nonsense. To me it’s like physiological warfare that has to stop because women are worth more than that.”

When it comes to gender equality and the empowerment of women, Anita made her stance crystal clear, fully aware that many women out there still do not realize their power to make a change.

“I don’t say this lightly. They [women] can change a lot of things because we are very sensitive creatures,” she said.

Reaching the age of 40 was not something that made Anita sad or insecure, believing instead that her experiences shaped her to be the person she is now.

And with her experiences, Anita said that she had started to accept things in a way that was less black and white, but yet she still could never tolerate abuse.

Her style or confidence was better from the time when she was still 20-year-old, she says.

The keys, she adds, are by believing in herself while embracing more life experiences.

“I have my moments when I don’t believe [in myself], but age has something to do with it. Women are always afraid of getting older, but they don’t realize that it’s amazing!”