The bright saffron sindoor adorned her forehead, her head partially covered by the ghoongat. The face devoid of any makeup shone, her eyes sparkled, her face lit up, while her lips smiled with disbelief as she shyly walked the ramp.
We are not talking of any contestant here but the mother of the winner who walked the ramp post her daughter’s victory!
“I am so happy my daughter Pritee Yadav won today,” said the mother, holding her daughter’s hand post the ramp walk. It is because of her that I have walked the ramp!
Perfect Miss of India, the brainchild of Khooshi and Gurubhai Thakkar was perfect in many ways than one. And these words conveyed how the contest empowered women from all walks of life.
A civil service aspirant, a doctor, a model, a healer, a teacher… Each of the women had an empowering story to tell.
Mamta Kabariya From Ahmedabad who emerged winner admitted that the contest more than energised her to face life with strength and exuberance.
First Runner Up Christina Dias From Mumbai, a teacher who participated for fun, felt she came out realising her true potential. The Second Runner Up Vachaknavi Sharma flew all the way from .US while her parents joined her from hometown Assam said it was more than a dream come true. “I am so glad to be here. I was always conscious of my weight but now, I am so overwhelmed. Here, I am not being judged even though it is a contest. I am respected,” she averred.
Pritee Yadav who comes from the heart of hinterlands in Uttar Pradesh is elated that she was the chosen one. “My mother is the happiest today,” she says, holding on to her mother’s hand, wiping awayva stray tear.
The jury was as touched as the participants, to each of whom the event was a lifechanger.
Producer Eram Faridi, social Activist Moni Gaikwad, earlier winners Rakhee Rajadhyaksh, Rashmi Saxena Dubey, Dr Shabina Shaikh, Kishor Masoom, Atreyee Paul Ray Choudhary, Loveena Joseph, Anusha Srinivasan Iyer, Adv Md Khalid, MS Shaikh, Irbaaz Ansaari, Sohel Fidai, Ayesha Shaikh, singer Alamgir, and Geet Thakkar and anchor Uday Rajveer Singh were as emotional when the contestants hugged each other and cheered one another, making the contest a perfect example of true sportswoman spirit.
As Khooshi Gurubhai Thakkar puts it, “the pandemic could bring down the number of attendees but it could not succed in bringing the spirit down; not even for a microsecond.” Touche!
