2 Amritsar women step out of their mould to win titles at beauty pageants

Tribune News Service

Neha Walia

Amritsar, May 8

Life is all about keeping the sunny side up. Two beautiful and empowered women who are now into their fifties stepped out of the Laxman Rekha to win national and international beauty pageants, proving that age could well be but just a number and that mindsets associated with ageing can indeed be broken.

Meet Manmeet Kaur and Dr Shivalika Khanna, who have won titles at beauty pageants, and share the common goal —- of not towing the conventional line drawn for women by society.

Manmeet Kaur, a homemaker from the city, won the title of Mrs Vogue Star India 2024, becoming the winner from Punjab (in state category) and from Amritsar (in city category). Around 2,500 women from across the country participated in the competition, auditioning online. For Manmeet, the win means taking a first step towards fulfilling her dream.

“I was always fascinated by the glamorous shows and pageants but never really was encouraged to participate due to the orthodox mindset of family and society. So, when I came across this particular event, my husband Gurmeet Singh and my two sons, the elder one is 29 and younger 24, encouraged me to participate, pushing me to finally take that first step. Now, I am glad I did,” she shared.

The pageant had a three-day training for the participants, involving different skills, including a fashion show, communication skills and wellness. Manmeet, who has always been batting for self-love, never really had self-doubts, and said that she discovered that she can come out of her mould quite comfortably.

“I only had to step out and I realised I could achieve anything. Now that some doors have opened for me, I want to use them to advocate women empowerment and ask women to put themselves and their dreams first. Often, in playing the role of a homemaker, wife, mother, daughter and more, women tend to neglect themselves. There is a spark in every woman, you just need to realise it.”

Another shining example is Dr Shivalika Khanna, who is an international weight loss consultant and nutritionist, recognised by the Ministry of Ayush. She represented India in Milestone’s Miss & Mrs India International Pageant, which was held at Bangkok from April 17 to April 20.

Shivalika won the title of Milestone Mrs India International Classic 2024 amidst participants from various countries and another title of Glamour Queen at Milestone Pageant’s Subtitle Crowning Ceremony.

A wellness enthusiast, Shivalika says that the victory marks the beginning of a journey filled with greater accomplishments and unforgettable moments. Now, she is all set to participate and represent India at the Milestone Global Pageant taking place in Dubai in September, 2024.

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