Stage set for Miss Himalaya Pageant 2016

The two contestants for the Miss Himalaya Pageant 2016, Ayushi Sethi and Parul Patel, hold the crown of the Pageant during a press conference in McLeod Ganj, India, on 8 October 2016.Miss Himalaya Pageant

By Tibet Sun newsroom

MCLEOD GANJ, India, 8 October 2016

The stage is set for the fourth edition of the Miss Himalaya Pageant, with two girls competing for the coveted crown on Sunday at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts Auditorium (TIPA).

Director of the pageant Lobsang Wangyal said that seeing their enthusiasm, Pageant organisers felt it’s important they go ahead with the Pageant as planned, to encourage and respect the two who are taking the opportunity to fulfil their dreams.

Ayushi Sethi, 21, is a Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) student, and Parul Patel, 23, a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) student. Both are studying at Dharamshala Degree College.

The winner will be determined after the two contestants are tested in four rounds, including Talk, Talent, Traditional Costume, and Interview rounds.

Tanshuman Gurung, the last year’s winner from Nainital, will pass on the crown to the new winner. A cheque of rupees one lakh (100,000) will be presented to the winner, while the second place will get 50,000.

The Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority stepped in to support the pageant with one lakh rupees. The Director Lobsang Wangyal said that such support would help make the pageant better.

Speaking about the low turnout for the pageant, Wangyal said, “The young Himalayan women have a lot of catch-up to do to step forward go with the changing times.

“In the same vein, the Tourism and Culture ministries of the Himalayan states should extend support to such events, as it’s about empowering young Himalayan women, bring Himalayan people together, and speaking about the issues around the Himalaya.

Wangyal added that he will start working on the next Pageant right after this one is over, to have more contestants in the next edition of the Pageant. The Miss Himalaya Pageant is open for young girls from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh, including the northeastern states. Women from Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet could also participate.

https://www.tibetsun.com/news/2016/10/08/stage-set-for-miss-himalaya-pageant-2016