Miss India South Africa tops in school

Remona Moodley, 18, bagged distinctions in five of her six matriculation subjects.

The youngest ever Miss India South Africa, Remona Moodley, 18, showed that she has beauty and brains when she bagged distinctions in five of her six matriculation subjects.

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Scoring As in maths, science, biology, geography and English, Moodley missed a sixth one in Afrikaans language only because she had to switch from studying Zulu language after she had to change schools in Class 8 and found that St Martin's School in Rosettenville did not offer Zulu as a subject.

"I had to revive Afrikaans after having last done it in Standard 4, so I'm still thrilled that I managed a B in the subject," said Moodley of Alberton, who is heading for India for the Miss India Worldwide Pageant later this month.

Moodley said she had been expecting four distinctions, so the fifth one was "like a bonus".

Before starting her electrical engineering studies at the University of Cape Town in February, Moodley will have to face her counterparts from the Indian diaspora in about 20 countries at the Miss India Worldwide 2005 Pageant in Mumbai Jan 20.

"In a way, I am glad that the pageant was postponed from its original date in December, as that would have allowed me very little time to prepare for it right after the exams. Now I will have enough time to prepare my talent segment, and selecting outfits and preparing speeches for all the different evening events."

"India reminded me very much of Durban, like the areas where my family lives in the suburb of Chatsworth, because of the way the people are - welcoming and friendly," Remona said.