Shriya Paliwal of Greenwich crowned Miss India Connecticut
21 young women showcase “Beauty From the Heart”
Ajay Ghosh

Shriya Paliwal, 21, a Senior at NYU Stern School of Business, and hailing from Greenwich, CT, was crowned Miss India Connecticut 2009, "Beauty from the Heart" during the first ever beauty pageant held on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at Westover School Auditorium, Stamford, CT. The Runner Up of the coveted title was Ashley Palathra, 17, aresident of Fairfield, CT. A student of Fairfield Warde High School, her hobbies and interests are Piano, Reading, Dancing, & Running.

Paliwal, whose hobbies and interests include, Piano, Tennis, Cross Country, Swimming, said, she entered the contest because it promoted a good cause and was a "great way to change things up" in her life. Paliwal, who appeared stunned when she was announced to be the winner of the contest at the end of the nearly three-hour-long contest and entertainments, said, "I was shocked, I really wasn't expecting them to call my name. I'm very excited."

During the same event, Amisha Sisodya was decalred the winner of the Miss India Teen CT contest. The 15-year-old student of Trumbull High School, residing in Trumbull, CT, whose hobbies and interests include, Dancing, Singing, Reading, Writing, Piano, Travel, Photography, beat 10 other contestants to win the title. Rachana Mehta, a 14-year-old Sophomore at West Hill High School and residing in Stamford, CT was the Runner Up of the Miss India Teen Connecticut contest. Rachana’s hobbies and interests are in Music, Tennis, and Travel.

Among the sub-contests of the evening, Namrata Gannu won the Miss India Talent CT 2009, while Miss India Smile CT went to Shriya Paliwal. Sadhana Suresh won the Miss India Catwalk title, and the Miss India CT Congeniality went to Tina S. Kumar. Among the Teens, Sheena Patel won the Miss Talent contest, and the Miss India Smile went to Anika Advani. Miss India Cat Walk title was won by Surbh Sood and the Miss India CT Congeniality went to Rachana Mehta.

The first ever beauty pageant held among the fast growing Indian American community here in Coonecticut featured 21 young women, 10 of them vying for the Miss India Connecticut 2009 title, while the remaining 11 competing for the Miss Teen Connecticut 2009.

The maiden competition was in many ways, a unique event, where the West met with the East. The beautiful and talented young women showcased before a packed crowd, their talents, which included a medley of songs, Bollywood, Indian classical and Western dances and a recital of Mozart’s sonata on the piano. During the Indian segment, these 21 young women dressed elegantly in colorful Indian Sarees, Churidars, and Slawar Kameez walked before an enthusiastic audience. The Cat Walk Segment saw thecontestants in Western dresses, walking to the tune of beautiful Bollywood music.

"This is the most festive event I've attended in all my life," Michael Pavia, the mayor-elect of Stamford, told before the enthusiastic audience. "The colors, the music, the dancing -- it's exquisite." Pavia announced that he would appoint a citywide director of multicultural events and affairs.

An amazing facet of this competition was that almost all contestants, who were born and raised in the United States, have absorbed and cherish both the modern American way of life as well as their Indian heritage. The crowd admired, for instance, when Amisha Sisodiya, sang a ballad from the musical "Wicked," and then, transitioned to a Bollywood song. "I'm American by nature, but Indian at heart," another contestant said.

Anita Bhat, president of Diva America Inc., a nonprofit group based in Stamford, in her welcome address, said that contestants are ambassadors to the next generation for health and fitness. She said, the pageant is being organized “to bring awareness of health and fitness in the fashion industry and to showcase the culture of one of the city's fastest-growing ethnic communities.”

And she declared that the winner and runner ups of Miss India CT will represent the state at the 28th annual Miss India USA pageant, organized by Neelam and Dharmatma Saran of India Festival Committee. The winner in Tampa will go on to Durban, South Africa, to compete at the Miss India Worldwide contest.

Diva America, Inc. is dedicated to promoting healthy living for youth of Indian origin, “Connecticut's first Indian pageant is part of larger movement to change the commonly perceived definition of beauty,” said Anita Bhat. "There is a growing trend in the fashion industry that beauty is promoted at the cost of health," Bhat said. Citing an old adage, she said, "beauty is not in the face, real beauty is in the heart." The pageant promotes health and fitness by introducing these as part of the selection process and giving bonus points to contestants with ideal body mass index. Accordingly, the final segment had an additional question related to health issues, posed to every finalist in both the categories.

"Usually in beauty pageants we're looking at pencil-thin women, but promoting body mass index, we're saying that a healthy, ideal body weight is important," said Dr. Madhu Mathur, a pediatrician at the Stamford Hospital Children's Health Center. Earlier, Ambassador Prabhu Dayal, Consul General of India in New York, after releasing the souevenir, praised the contestants and the organizers for thier hard work and the excellent show they have put together.

Bhat thanked the executive team members, Meera Banta, Sara Tierno, and Louvella D'Silva, who had worked hard to put together the maiden beauty pageant in Connecticut. The event was sponsored by Stamford Hospital, MetroPcs, Tawa Restaurant, Shelly Nichani of Hampton Inn.