Miss Tibet beauty pageant shifts from Dharamshala to New York

| Jan 5, 2018, 07:37 IST
Dharamshala: The Miss Tibet beauty pageant, a contest with a swimsuit round held for the Tibetan community in the country, has been shifted to New York from Mcleodganj for this year.
The contest, which was introduced in 2002, aimed to empower Tibetan women-in-exile. It was much publicised in the international media and 15 editions of the event were held in the Himachal hill town. However, the pageant was held with only a single participant four times.

Founder of the Miss Tibet pageant, Lobsang Wangyal, said the event was held with a single participant in 2003, 2005, 2013 and 2014. "We can mark our presence and raise our voice through the platform of beauty by crowning Miss Tibet. I was struggling alone, but now I entered into a tie-up with an entertainment company with the help of a few Tibetan friends who don't want me to give up," he said.

The annual event was considered controversial as elderly Tibetans and conservative community members were upset with the bikini round. Tibetan feminists also objected to the event on moral grounds.


Most participants the pageant has ever had was nine in 2017, but the organizer has been struggling to finance it as there have been no sponsors. Tibetans living in Mcleodganj, who were unwilling to be quoted, said Buddhism is all about inner beauty and not superficial attraction. "We are living in exile and the only identity we have is our religion and tradition. If we shift towards westernisation, we will be finished," said an elderly Tibetan.


The low-budget event was held at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts near Mcleodganj till last year. Tenzin Paldon (21), from Kollegal of Karnataka, was crowned Miss Tibet 2017.


Preparations have already started for this year's event as it will be held this year in one of the most cosmopolitan cities of the world. "We have floated online applications for this year's edition and the last date is March 31. We are looking forward to a spectacular show as we move from the small Himalayan village in Mcleodganj to New York," said Wangyal.



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