– a simple girl with big dreams and lots of talent

By Telesha Ramnarine
LOCAL television personality Shivanie Latchman believes that life is all about hard work, especially if you are nurturing big dreams and are determined to achieve them.

The 28-year-old, who hails from Golden Grove on the East Bank Demerara, divides her time to care for many activities apart from her regular job at the Marriott Hotel where she is the Catering/Sales Manager. “I mainly focus on weddings and all the special moments to celebrate one’s life,” she told the Chronicle in an interview.
Apart from this, Shivanie is also a marketing representative at MTV and the television host/producer of Entertainment Buzz, a television programme on the same channel. “The show was designed to showcase the rich and diverse talents of Guyanese entertainers,” she offered.
Furthermore, six years ago, she and her brother, Kumar, started up the Ishara Dance Troupe. “Dancing is my passion. I have high expectations for the things I do and I always try to go beyond my means. Beats and feelings come from within and it’s never about the steps.
I had Dimple Mendonca as my dance teacher and her inspiration is what molded me. A lot of what I know today is what she taught me. Ishara has a team of 15 to 17 dancers. I have a senior and a junior class that I teach dancing to.”

“I lend my love for songs and dances to the local stage as I am arguably leading a new, thriving and dynamic Indian dance troupe. With determination and hard work, I figured that a blend of old and contemporary styles of filmi, classical folk Bharatanatyam and bhangra music would be the best to choreograph. The idea was a winner and it’s working fabulously,” Shivanie said.
In 2011, she ventured into her first pageant titled, ‘Miss India Guyana Worldwide’ where she said she came face to face with her dreams. “With hard work and perseverance, I successfully emerged as a crowd favourite and was honoured with ‘Miss Best Talent’ and ‘first runner-up position’.”

NO STOPS
Shivanie was born to Bibi Alli and Ramesh Latchman. Her father died when she was about 8 years old. “So my mom took the journey to help me and my brother to fulfill our dreams. I have a diploma in marketing and my brother is also doing well academically. I view life as what you make of it.”
Shivanie likes to spice up her life by trying new things. “If you do things one way all the time, it gets a little boring. I took up the challenge of being a

flight attendant for a little while and it got me places,” she said.
Although losing everything she had in a fire that destroyed their home, and later suffering in a car accident, Shivanie said she picked up the pieces and pressed on. “I encourage persons to follow their dreams. It can be a little challenging sometimes but if you don’t start, you are not going to get there. And you’re going to find hurdles and fall-back sometimes. That’s fine. It’s ok to fall down. For me, mistakes are ok. What you do in life determines the turns and directions it takes. Nothing stopped me from achieving greatness through my dreams. I believe it’s all about hard work.
“I am a strong believer in the quote, ‘The more you give, the more you gain’. Everyone comments on my down-to-earth and modest personality. I try my utmost to bring a smile to someone even if it means I make a complete fool of myself or tell them something out of context.”
As a youth activist, Shivanie offered her assistance to her community and today’s youths when she was an executive member of the East Bank Building Social Cohesion Youth Group.
A former student of Covent Garden Secondary and Shalom Academy, she is now married to Ravi Persaud. “My husband is so great. He supports me,” she said.
Shivanie enjoys nature walks, music, dancing, and a relaxing conversation with friends.