Dharamshala:Himalaya’s first beauty pageant ‘Miss Himalaya’ is to be held In Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) on 12 and 13 October, said organizer of the event Mr. Lobsang Wangyal of Wangyal Productions.
In the first event of its kind only five girls from different Himalayan regions will participate.
Wangyal Productions, which also holds the Miss Tibet contest every year, had deferred the same because of self-immolations by the Tibetans inside Tibet this year to show solidarity with those who laid down their lives for the cause of Tibet.
Miss Tibet pageant has now become a popular event not only in India but across the globe.
For Miss Himalya Contest ,the participants are Anne Norbu, 19, Kunga Tsetan 19, Rinchen Dolma, 23, hail from North-east Sikkim state while Rachna Dhiman, 18, and Thinley Yangchen, 22, are from Kangra and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh respectively.
There are no Tibetans taking part in this beauty contest.
The pageant christened as ‘Miss Himalaya Pageant: For Peace and Environment’.
Miss Himalaya Pageant is a way to celebrate the mighty and majestic Himalayas, its peace-loving people and their unique culture,” said Mr. Lobsang Wangyal. Keeping a low profile due to the spate of self-immolations inside Tibet, the organizers of the Miss Tibet pageant have now decided to organize Miss Himalaya Pageant.
Wangyal said that except for a little help from his friends, the pageant lacks any major sponsorship and is entirely funded and produced by him. He said the event will be annual.
The crowned winner will bag a cash prize of 1 Lakh Indian Rupees and the second and third runner-up will receive 50 thousands and 25 thousands Rupees respectively.
Arvind Sharma is an award winning bi-lingual journalist with more than 20 years of experience.
He has worked with Divya Himachal, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhasker, Vir Partap, Ajit and PTI.
In 2010, he was conferred the Himachal Kesri journalism award. He reports on the Tibetan Government in Exile, politics, sports, tourism and other topics. He lives in Dharamshala.
