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span class="inline inline-left">JP/Jerry Adiguna Whulandary Herman always took modeling seriously since she was a little girl. And now, with the crown on her head, she stands tall and proud of having become the country’s princess of the year.

The 23-year-old’s life has always revolved around modeling. Whulan got her start in modeling by participating in neighborhood contest at the tender age of 6, and from that point on, she has never looked back.

“Many people say that modeling is only good as a hobby, but I disagree. I’m always taking it seriously because it is a professional thing; you can earn money from it,” she said.

Having previously earned the title of Putri (Miss) West Sumatra, her years of determination and hard work paid off as the panel of judges crowned her as Putri Indonesia 2013.

“I think I deserve it – I have met the three important criteria set by the foundation; brains, beauty and behavior. I believe the judges saw that combination in me,” she said.

This winning character was shaped for years by the values and culture of her hometown.

Born in Pariaman, West Sumatra, Whulan was raised by the two most important women in her life — her grandmother and mother — in an environment where Islamic values permeate the local culture.

She said that just like other Minang children, her family taught her about the values and norms of Islam.

“But luckily, my mother is a very democratic person and is very supportive of the activities of her children,” Whulan said.

After she graduated high school in 2007, she moved to Jakarta to study at the communications at Paramadina University as well as to start her career as a model.

Whulan’s modeling career started to shine when she won a beauty contest with a local female magazine in 2008. A year later, she won the third runner-up and the best catwalk category at the 2009 International Model of the Year contest in Korea.

In 2010, she won the Asian Top Model of the Year award at the Fashion Asia Awards, held in Hangzhou, China, beating competitors from Vietnam, China and Mongolia.  

As Putri Indonesia, Whulan will have a schedule packed with touring a number of cities throughout Indonesia as well as preparing for the Miss Universe pageant.

“I am so nervous about it, but after spending a week with Miss Universe Olivia Culpo, I received some tips and tricks. I hope those can work for me, too,” she said.

It has been the rule that during the Miss Universe contest, contestants are required to wear a two-piece bikini or a swimsuit.

Whulan said that she was not worried despite the controversy she might face for wearing a bikini and being from a predominantly Islamic community.

“That is part of the contest, so we can’t eliminate the rule to wear a bikini. In addition, I wear a bikini at the proper place — not in shopping malls,” she said, adding that she was still unsure as to what kind of bikini she would wear.

“I think it’s normal if some people disagree with us. Controversy shows how dynamic life is.”

As a model who is always busy walking down the runway, Whulan is also grateful that her job also fits with her other passions — traveling and writing.

“I love traveling, because that way, I can really understand what I was taught by my culture back then; to learn from nature as it is full of people and events that can enrich our lives,” she said.

Her love for traveling and outdoor activities has taken her to see the nature wonders of the Gili Islands in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara; Geneva, Switzerland and the Galapagos Islands.

Whulan always writes down every detail of her journey and has shared some of her journeys by publishing her writing in magazines. Her latest travel piece was about her visit to the Galapagos Islands, which was published in a local magazine.

“I think I want to be a travel writer when I am no longer in the fashion business,” she said.

But no matter how far she travels, she never forgets the one place she always feels at home — West Sumatra.

As a native of West Sumatra, and having grown up exploring the province’s cultures and natural wonders, she could not be more excited to promote it to the world, especially since the region has started to improve its tourism sector after having been struck by several natural disasters.  

“As Putri Indonesia, one of my biggest goals is to show people that Indonesia is not only Bali. We have so many great places here in the archipelago, including West Sumatra, that are worth exploring,” she said.