Tuesday 30 / April / 2024
Muscat: An Indian lady living in Oman has secured a triple sweep of honours at the finals of a beauty pageant held in Kolkata.
Neelam Singh, who juggles being a full-time mom with her roles as counsellor and healer, was named first runner-up at the Jeeo King and Queen International Beauty Pageant, where she also won the ‘Beauty with Brains Award’.
“I am also now their official brand ambassador for the Middle East,” added Neelam, who is firmly of the belief that hard work and determination are the key ingredients to success. “Miracles, after all, don’t happen all the time.”
At the event, three crowns were up for grabs: Miss India, which is open to only unmarried women; Mrs India, which is open to married women and was the pageant in which Neelam took part; and Mr India International, which is open to eligible men.
“Such competitions are a great platform for individuals who want to achieve their dreams and aspirations, and they also provides them an international stage to show their skills to the world,” explained Neelam.
The event began on 3 May on Phi Phi Island in Thailand and ran for 12 days before concluding in the City of Joy on the 15th. Although initially slotted for 2021, the pageant was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants were expected to display their skills over a series of rounds, including the Talent Round, as well as the semi-finals and finals. Time to hone her skills before the Jeeo pageant, however, was not always easy to come by for Neelam.
“Since I am a full time working professional and a mother of a four-year-old, I began my preparations a few days before the pageant began,” Neelam admitted. “My husband was of great help to me and he is the one who pushed me and encouraged me to take part in this event.”
Contestants are judged on the basis of their personality: Their inner and outer beauty, their behaviour, coordination and the characteristics that set them apart from their co-contestants.
While many contestants taking part in such events do go on last-minute diets so that they look their best on stage, that process of the competition was far easier for Neelam. A qualified nutritionist, she is a vegetarian who prefers home food and anything with green, leafy vegetables, to the stuff found in restaurants.
“When I went there, I just wanted to be the best version of myself,” said Neelam. “My family were extremely happy and excited for me when I entered. My parents and in-laws also supported me. It is great that they have always believed in me and supported me, so naturally, they were happy for me when I won.”
“I believe beauty is not just about having a pretty face,” she added. “It also requires you to have a beautiful heart and a beautiful soul. It is our responsibility to be ourselves and not blindly copy others…each one of us is unique. Life is not about finding yourself. It is about creating yourself.”
