Missed Worlds and Missed Universes

DNA (Saturday, January 21,2006)

Panelists say lack of focus is behind the recent paucity of international beauty pageant winners. Miss Indias say it’s simply bad luck.

Skimmy Gupta

After the likes of Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra triumphing at international beauty pageants, it has been over four years since Indian beauties have won any international recognition.

Expert panelists believe that casual approach, attitude problem, busy schedules are few of the many reasons behind the recent lack of winners at the international level. However, recent Miss India winners deny all these allegations and feel that it’s mere bad luck.

Cosmetologist Dr Jamuna Pai on the panel of the Miss India pageant says, “The girls are overconfident. I think we need to pick up the right girls at the initial stage.”
Choreographer Sandip Soparkkar for last year’s pageant says, “After winning the crown in India, the girls get very busy and their training programmes are hampered.”

Dr Sandesh Mayekar, cosmetic and aesthetic dentist on the panel of Miss India 2005 says, “Today the beauty pageant winners come with a mindset that they have a perfect smile.”

Sindura Gadde, Miss India-World 2005 says, “I gave my 100 percent at the recent Miss World contest. We have to understand that luck is a very important factor.”

Miss India Earth 2005 Niharika Singh feels she lost at Miss Earth pageant due to her lack of height. She says, “There is a deliberate attempt not to crown Indian beauties.”

Actor and former Miss India-Universe 2004 Tanushree Datta feels “As far as the girls and the panelists are concerned no one leaves any stone unturned. I guess it’s just wrong timing and hard luck.”