Vimala Raman of Sydney has earned the honour of representing Australia in the Miss India Worldwide 2005 to be held in Mumbai Jan 9 next year.
The coy 23-year-old Sydneysider was adjudged Miss India Australia in an impressive function held at Sir John Clancey Auditorium of the University of New South Wales Sunday.
Judges, which included Indian film star Sanjay Suri and Miss India Worldwide 2003 Purva Merchant, also adjudged Tina George of Melbourne as runner-up in a contest that attracted over 20 entries from the Indian Diaspora spread all over Australia.
Carmen Cromer, an Australian freelance writer, Peter Menzies Jr., a Hollywood cinematographer, and Shalini Patel, well-known Bharatanatyam and Kathak dancer and teacher, were the other judges for the 2nd Miss India
Australia Pageant.
Though Sydney has continued its hold over the pageant title, other cities also got a fair amount of representation and awards in the contest.
While the eventual winner Vimala Raman also won the Miss India Australia Cyber Queen honours for attracting the maximum number of votes on the internet, Sharon Jeet Johal of Adelaide was adjudged Miss India Australia
Glamour Queen. The Runner-up title was secured by a Melbournian Tina George.
There was an interesting mix of talents in this year's contest. While Vimala is a computer professional, international model and a Bharatanatyam exponent, Tina George is heading a voluntary organisation in Melbourne called Victorian Indian Youth Association.
{{/usCountry}}There was an interesting mix of talents in this year's contest. While Vimala is a computer professional, international model and a Bharatanatyam exponent, Tina George is heading a voluntary organisation in Melbourne called Victorian Indian Youth Association.
{{/usCountry}}The charity, according to the information provided by the pageant hosts, organises cultural functions to raise money for Indian handicapped children and the Make a Wish foundation.
Even though torrential rains hit the pageant venue Sunday evening, there was an impressive turnout for the contest, which is fast becoming an important social fixture for the ever-burgeoning Indo-Australian community.
"This event is more than a beauty pageant - it is a celebration of our two diverse cultures - Indian and Australian, fusion of which has contributed to the rise of the unique identity of modern Australia," Raj Suri, the director of Miss India Australia, said.
The hosts tried to celebrate the diversity even further by making a fusion dance (kathak and Flamenco) sequence the main entertainment item of the evening.
Besides hosting the four segments for the contest, namely Indian Dress, Evening Gown, Q&A and Talent Performance, the organisers also hosted a preview of excerpts of Sanjay Suri's upcoming film on AIDS - "My Brother Nikhil" and other cultural items.
The multitalented Vimala Raman is being seen as a serious contender for the Miss India Worldwide 2005 title.
"Vimala is very talented girl - she personifies the best of Indian and Australian cultures; a superb bharatanatyam dancer; very sociable and confident. I think she has a very good chance in the pageant to be held in Mumbai Jan 9 around the Bharatya Pravasi Divas celebrations," says a visibly pleased Raj Suri.
The Australia India Business Council has joined the bandwagon of sponsors of the annual pageant by conferring the Youth Ambassador Title to the Miss India Australia winner this year.