IT professional crowned Miss Tibet

Associated Press (AP)

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DHARAMSALA, India, 11 October 2004 (AP) – Hundreds of exiled Tibetans cheered among the crackling firecrackers and flowing ribbons when Tashi Yangchen, who works for an information technology firm, was crowned Miss Tibet 2004.

The 24-year-old from India's Sikkim state, on the border with China, had never been in a beauty contest before and has no modeling experience.

But she also bagged the Miss Photogenic title at the pageant, which is now in its fifth year and drew large crowds of Tibetans and tourists, despite criticism from the exile government, which is concerned that such events are not part of Tibetan culture.

Chinese Communist troops occupied Tibet in 1951. The Dalai Lama, the chief Tibetan Buddhist leader, fled to northern India eight years later amid a failed revolt. More than 100,000 Tibetans have followed the Dalai Lama so that they could worship him and live in freedom. Most settled in the northern Indian town of Dharmsala, where the pageant was held.

"First thing I will do when I reach home is kiss my mom and dad, without whose support it would not have been possible," said a jubilant Yangchen, after receiving a check of $2,175 as the pageant ended near midnight Sunday.

Yangchen was one of five contestants. Another, Kalsang Dickey, traveled secretly from Tibet, narrowly escaping capture by Chinese border guards, to take part. Dickey, 24, was temporarily hospitalized for severe dehydration and exhaustion upon her arrival in Dharmsala last month.

The pageant's grand finale, held at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts in Dharmsala, drew a large crowd that danced until early this morning, despite posters around town urging people to boycott the event.

"The swimsuit competition was closed to the public because we want to respect the sentiments of a section of our community, which thinks such competition corrupts our culture," said Lobsang Wangyal, director of the annual Free Spirit Festival. He and his friends, young government workers and professionals, organized the festival.

The beauty pageant is part of the festival, which also included Tibetan film awards and the presentation of a Free Spirit Award.

This year's award went to Harvard University graduate Meghan Howard, 22, who unfurled the Tibetan flag during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's address at Harvard Business School in December 2003.

Howard, who said she had smuggled the flag into the auditorium in her pantyhose, shouted "Free Tibet!" as Wen started to speak.

"It's flattering to be receiving this award. I am a shy person, but this award has made me a minor celebrity in Dharmsala," Howard said.

She received the award from Palden Gyatso, a respected monk and an ex-political prisoner who spent more than 30 years in Chinese jails before escaping to India. Hollywood actor Richard Gere won last year's award for his support of the Tibetans' cause.

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IT Professional Crowned Miss Tibet