By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, October 10: 21 year old Ayushi Sethi on Sunday was crowned the Miss Himalaya 2016 in a pageant that drew only two contestants. Parul Patel was declared runners up at the finale night at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in Dharamshala.
Soon after the crowning ceremony by last year’s winner Tanshuman Gurung, the 21-year old BBA student from Dharamshala rushed towards her parents and family in the audience to celebrate the victory.
While thanking Pageant Director Lobsang Wangyal, the newly crowned Miss Himalaya said, “I feel blessed and honored to have received such a great platform.”
“As the new Miss Himalaya, I have decided work on issues such as Tourism and Women empowerment, which were part of the seven questions given to us. I will follow them all step by step,” Ayushi said on acting as the new Miss Himalaya 2016.
With a dismal turnout during the finale of the pageant, Lobsang Wangyal stated that this time next year he would have a better pageant and for that he would start working from now.
“This pageant has changed my life. I am now more confident, I feel more beautiful inside-out and much stronger. I have become someone who is not afraid to speak her mind or stepping towards what she aspires to become,” said the last year’s Miss Himalaya Tanshuman.
In the speech and interview round, the two contestants were judged on content, articulatation and delivery of their answers and speech. Whereas, in the traditional Costume round, they were judged on how they showcase their ethnicity and poise.
