Miss Tibet event shifts from Himachal to New York

DHARAMSHALA: The Miss Tibet beauty pageant, a contest held for the Tibetan community in India and involving a controversial bikini round, has been shifted to New York from Mcleodganj this year.
The contest, begun in 2002, aimed to empower Tibetan women in exile. It was much publicised in the international media and 15 editions of the event were held in the Himachal hill town. The annual event, however, sparked a controversy of late as elderly Tibetans and conservative community members were upset about the bikini round.Tibetan feminists also objected to the event.
The founder of the Miss Tibet pageant, Lobsang Wangyal, said the event was held with a single participant in 2003, 2005, 2013 and 2014. “We can mark our presence and raise our voice through the platform of beauty by crowning Miss Tibet. I was struggling alone, but now I have entered into a tie-up with an entertainment firm with the help of a few Tibetan friends,” he said.
Most participants the pageant has ever had was nine in 2017, but the organiser has been struggling to finance it as there have been no sponsors. Tibetans living in Mcleodganj said Buddhism is all about inner beauty and not superficial attraction. “We are living in exile and the only identity we have is our religion and tradition. If we shift towards westernisation, we will be finished,” said an elderly Tibetan.
The event was held at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts near Mcleodganj till last year. Tenzin Paldon (21), from Kollegal of Karnataka, was crowned Miss Tibet 2017.
Preparations have already started for this year’s event. “We have floated online applications and the last date is March 31. We are looking forward to a spectacular show as we move from the small Himalayan village in Mcleodganj to New York,” said Wangyal.