By Phurbu Thinley
Phayul Correspondent
Dharamsala: 6 October 2006: Calling them beautiful, elegant, brave and modern Tibetan girls; Lobsang Wangyal, producer-director of the Miss Tibet Pageant, presented and announced before the press here today, the six contestants who have made to the final round of the Miss Tibet-2006, fifth in the line of series.
Till today, Mr. Lobsang had been promising to take everyone by surprise with the maximum contestants participating in this year’s beauty pageant. Of the total applications received from 11 eligible candidates, indeed six of them made for it this year, more than all of the previous ones.
Metok Lhanze, 20, from Delhi; Pema Chodon (Peyang), 24, from Dehra Dun; Tenzin Palmo, 23, from Delhi; Tsering Chungtak, 21, from Delhi; Tseten Yangzom, 21, from Nepal; and Wangchuk Palmo, 25, from Canada are six of them who have made to the final miss Tibet Beauty Pageant 2006.
The seven competition rounds to be held from 13 to 15 October will finally decide the winner of the Miss Tibet 2006 title. The final crowning of Miss Tibet will be held on the 15th at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts here in McLeod town.
Although the first Miss Tibet pageant held in 2002 was a huge success, it was received with mixed feelings from Tibetan community in exile.
Going by the statements of the contestant words and close interaction with them makes it clear that everyone has something common to say; to represent Tibet and raise Tibetan issues wherever possible.
Advocating Tibetan people to accept change and the need to move forward like all other people, and with the belief that the participants are to be responsible, forward-looking and modern Tibetan women, Mr. Lobsang said that there is every reason to expect more contestants in the future.
Lamenting about the paucity of funds, Wangyal expressed the need of successful Tibetan business people to come forward to add more glamour to the Miss Tibet Pageant event and also help open new doors for the winners and participants to have a chance to pursue a career in glamour world.
A week-long training, grooming and orientation on Tibetan history, culture and current affairs is to follow from today.
The whole event of Miss Tibet Pageant, 2006 will be held here in McLeod town, Dharamsala, the seat of the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile and home to thousands of exiled Tibetans refugees.
