Noida is as safe as Toronto: Miss India Canada second runner-up

Noida girl Suruchi Srivastava made the city proud as she bagged the second runner-up title at the Miss India Canada pageant. In a chat with us, she recalls her days spent in Noida.
In a chat with us, she gets talking about shopping in Atta, and the street food at sector-18:
Suruchi Srivastava, 18, got the second-runner up title and was also awarded the Best Talent Performance award at Miss India Canada pageant held in Toronto on Saturday.Suruchi said making it to the top three in this pageant is a remarkable achievement for her, as 'it's a stepping stone towards bigger things in life'.
Suruchi also wanted to participate in the Miss India pageant, but she couldn't do it because of not having an Indian citizenship. "I wanted to participate in Miss India rather than Miss India Canada, but I couldn't do it because I have a Canadian citizenship. Having said that, winning Miss India Canada was important for me as it will help me in expanding my horizons. I want to become an influential figure within the South Asian community in Canada and work for the betterment of women.
After winning the competition, I have a wider reach across Canada," Suruchi said, adding, "I wanted to prove that our age should not define our capabilities. I believe in speaking up and always did so - when I was in school, I was the first Indian female president of the school board of Toronto, representing students on the board. Currently, I am pursuing bachelors' degree in political science and international relations at the University of Toronto, and have plans to attend a law school and pursue entertainment law."
Talking about her Noida connect, Suruchi said, "I consider myself more Indian, because I feel, I belong to this place. I have studied in Noida during my initial years of schooling after which we moved to Toronto. I'm here after almost every one or two years, and stay in the city for more than a month. My grandparents live in sector-17 in Noida."
She said, "I have many friends and relatives who live in Noida. Whenever I come to the city, I find myself visiting each one of them and time just flies by. The warmth, love and care that I get from all these people can't be replaced by anything."
While people might consider Noida unsafe for women, Suruchi begs to differ. "Noida is as safe and sound as Toronto. My parents never stopped me from going to a particular place or not moving out after a certain time. I don't think the city is a crime hub. Instead, I find the city beautiful and lovely. I like exploring places and it always feels good to go to a place in the city that you have visited so many times. Moreover, you should have the confidence to move on your own and be smart enough to protect yourself."
So, what are her favourite places in Noida? "My grandparents are members of the Noida Golf Course and I always go with them to the golf course. Whenever I come to the city, all my shopping is done from TGIP Mall because it's closer and I get lots of options also. Besides, street shopping at Atta Market is always fun, it's a very different experience from shopping in the markets of Toronto," Suruchi said.
A self-confessed foodie, Suruchi added, "Nothing can beat the street food of sector-18 market. I like visiting Nathu Sweets for their delicious chaat, and I can never get enough of the luscious kebabs of The Great Kabab Factory. And my absolute favourite is Haldirams. When I am in Noida I try different dishes at different places. But I completely avoid eating at the fast food restaurants serving American cuisine. Why go for them when I have the option of relishing the dishes that I won't get to eat once I'm back to Canada?"
Not just Noida, Suruchi has also visited many other cities in India. "I always look forward to coming to India because it makes me feel at home, and visiting Noida brings me closer to my relatives. I have also been to Lucknow, Agra, Jaipur, Ajmer, Rewari and of course, Delhi and Gurgaon. When I am in India, I make sure to visit other cities also. I hope to come back soon and visit Goa, Mumbai, Kashmir, and Dehradun this time," she said.