Beauty Pageant promises a colourful spectacle

It would be beauty, fashion, music, dance and entertainment at the Miss Indianz 2010 competition, scheduled to be held on Saturday, August 7 at the Town Hall (at 745 pm) in Auckland City.

The annual programme, organised by the Auckland based Reshabh D Parikh Productions, will feature 17 contestants from Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch.

Show Producer and Director Dharmesh Parikh said the beauty pageant was different from many others conducted in New Zealand and elsewhere.

“Miss Indianz contestants are not required to find sponsors. We focus on developing their talent and presenting them on stage. They gain invaluable experience, confidence and the ability to face a large audience,” he said.

Mr Parikh said interest in the event has been high and that a record number of inquiries were received by his office.

“But we are careful in selecting only those who would not only comply with our criteria but also foster Indian culture and the image of New Zealand. The primary requirement is that contestants should be of Indian origin,” he said.

Indian Newslink published the profile of ten participants in its July 1 & 15 issues. The following are the remaining contestants.

Akash Sandhu

This 20-year-old contestant of Indian origin from Malaysia believes that events such as Miss Indianz provide the vital window to greater things in life, especially those involving Show Business.

“I have always wanted to be a model and I am proud of my Indian heritage. I hope this will be a stepping-stone for the future,” says Akash Sandhu, who lives in Auckland’s Central Business District.

Akash has previously participated in the Parnell Fashion Week.

“The forthcoming contest will provide me a chance to show my love and passion for fashion and style,” she said.

Arishma Ashika Lata

The inhabitants of the ‘Soccer Crazy Town of Ba’ in Fiji are not just men. Women and children are also among its buffs, no matter where they live.

Proving that dictum is 20-year-old Arishma Ashika Lata, who is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Health Science Podiatry, specialising in sports injuries and podiatric surgery.

“I am an average girl with an average dream of doing something good with my life. As a qualified podiatrist, I would like to help people,” she said.

Like the people of Ba, Arishma is concerned more about participating than winning.

“Miss Indianz will help me gain confidence and experience. Winning or losing is not in my hands,” she said.

Esha Singh

Call it self-confidence or reflection of what she hears about her personality, this 23-year-old extramural student believes that she has what it takes to be a model and a beauty pageant contestant.

“I am here to make a place in your heart with my superb personality,” Esha Singh said with conviction.

She loves dancing, travelling and admires nature’s bounty in the company of a good friend or ‘a cup of good coffee.’

Esha believes in the innate goodness of human beings and hopes to spread happiness wherever she is and looks forward to winning the ‘Miss Indianz’ title.

Fouzia Naizy

If ambition, intelligence, honesty and alacrity were qualities that one looks for in a person, then, Fouzia Naizy would be a great candidate.

Self-confidence is yet another attribute of this teenager, who migrated to New Zealand seven years ago with her parents from her native India.

“I believe in hard work. I am passionate about my culture and I am proud to be a Kiwi-Indian. I also believe that the new Indian generation should feel the same way,” she said.

“Miss Indianz 2010 is an excellent opportunity to showcase my vibrant Indian culture to New Zealanders and through this inspire more people to do the same,” Fouzia said.

Isha Shevde

People from South Island are known to be ‘cool,’ reflecting the casual and light-hearted attitude towards life and its events. But youngsters like Isha Shevde display solemnity and seriousness, when it comes to beauty contests.

“This is serious business,” she says, adding, “I want to experience Miss Indianz 2010 in its entirety; I know it would be full of colour, ecstatic and attentive audience. I am also looking forward to meeting beautiful women with big dreams,” she said.

Isha hopes that her previous modelling experience would be useful in competing at the forthcoming beauty pageant.

“I want to become a strong and courageous woman, with the ability to face people from all walks of life. I am sure that the contest will empower me with those qualities,” she said.

Shiona Ram

Pursuing her Bachelor degree course in Health and Nursing, this young girl also nurses a desire to become a qualified doctor in not too distant a future.

“I want to make my mother, people at home, my peers and elders proud of my achievements. I would work hard to realise my goals in life,” Shiona Ram said.

Like many of her compatriots, she brought dreams of having a successful life from her native Fiji about eight years ago.

“I believe in the empowerment of cultured women to independently express the diverse beauty they uphold. Miss Indianz 2010 is one of those rare events that give us such an opportunity. I feel honoured to be a participant,” Shiona said.

Shivani Prasad

Hamiltonians may not be used to the fast pace of life in Auckland but those in the medical profession understand the value of time; for it could often spell a new lease of life for a patient.

Nursing student Shivani Prasad believes that time is of the essence for most things in life, for, she believes that like a tide, it waits for none.

“I wish to make the most out of life; make people happy, be useful to others and most important of all, achieve my goal as a good nurse. Taking care of people who are in need is one of the most important aspects of being a human being,” she said.

Shivani evinces deep interest in Indian fashion, beauty and dance; since her formative years in her native Fiji, she has also nursed a desire for Bollywood.

Shreya Paranjape

Bankers are usually perceived as serious people – an opinion that is common to tellers, account supervisors, those sanctioning loans and those involved in transactions worth millions of dollars.

But 18-year-old Shreya Paranjape from Christchurch would say nothing could be farther from the truth.

“Banking is a serious profession, because we are answerable to many people but that does not mean life is not enjoyment. There is a time to work and a time to relax. I believe that balance gives meaning and purpose to human life,” she said.

That may sound profound but Shreya is ‘serious’ about this belief as well.

“I have entered the Miss Indianz 2010 contest to meet people and learn,” she said.