Franchise holder Asha Hanif says she will be revealing names and pictures of the delegates as they are selected.

Today, we feature Ann Marie Paul, 21, a business executive, who was among the first faces selected for the March 31 pageant. The pageant is her first, and she has actually never modeled before, though she would manage a few tips from her sister, Sharon.

Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, the Speaker of the National Assembly

Sharon, a regular model for Lynette Mangar’s fashion house, is the daugther-in-law, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, the Speaker of the National Assembly. Asha Hanif must make sure there is some order in the house! We just thought we mention that in passing.

Back to Ann Marie though. She says she is a plain girl, likes the home a lot. Ah, how typical, no? Nice.

This girl is Indian to the bone, as we would say. Any guesses what her favourite food is? Dholl and rice and coconut-choka. Now that’s spicy hot!

Ann Marie would be among over 10 contestants taking part in the pageant to win the chance to represent Guyana at the Miss India Worldwide pageant on April 7 in New York.

Miss India Worldwide Pageant is produced by the Indian Festival Committee (IFC) based in New York City.

The IFC is a pioneer organization in conducting Indian pageants and fashion shows in the USA and worldwide. The committee has been conducting the Miss India New York and the Miss India USA Pageants annually since 1980.

In 1990, Mr. Dharmatma Saran, Chairman and Founder of the IFC, decided to take the pageant one step further to an international level and started the first Miss India Worldwide Pageant.

For the first time ever, Asian-Indian communities from all over the world came together in New York for this event. The pageant was an instant success.

In line with other prestigious international pageants, the IFC has also started staging Miss India Worldwide in various parts of the world. In 1997, the pageant was organized in Bombay to salute India on its 50th anniversary of independence. In the year 1998, the pageant was organized, in association with UTV International, in the exotic and beautiful city of Singapore.

The contestants in all the pageants are of Indian origin, between the ages of 17 and 27, never married, and are citizens, residents, or born in the country which they represent.

The pageant consists of four segments - Evening Gown, Indian Dress, Talent and Question-Answer. The winners of all the various national pageants from all over the world vie for the glamorous and prestigious title of the Miss India Worldwide.

The IFC motivates and guides its winners and contestants to take up charitable causes. Many of our past winners have raised substantial amount of money for various charities, especially for handicapped children.

Sunday, February 25, 2007