Miss Tibet - Women with Wisdom from the Roof of the World

Tashi Yangchen crowned Miss Tibet 2004

Published in:
The Tribune

MCLEODGANJ, India, 11 October 2004 – Tashi Yangchen was crowned Miss Tibet here last night amidst sounds of crackers and Tibetan music. Born and brought up in Sikkim, Tashi was one of the five contestants for the crown. She also won the audience polls award for Miss Photogenic conducted on the internet.

A computer engineering graduate from Pune University and employed at present with the Information Technology Department, Gangtok, she took no time to define beauty for the judges in the concluding interview section of the contest.

Answering the question, "Whom do you consider most beautiful and why?" Tashi said someone with inner beauty, who knew how to carry himself and had beauty of the mind was most beautiful.

Ms Tsering Kyi, winner of Miss Tibet 2003 crown, along with Mr Lobsang Wangyal, director of the Lobsang Wangyal Productions that organised the contest, crowned Tashi. Ms Kyi shared her experiences with the audience.

Earlier, the evening saw some impressive performances of Tibetan folk music and western dances. The five contestants also decided to get over their nervousness by dancing to a Tibetan song as the judges put the results together.

"We may be crowning only one, but all five of them are winners," said Mr Wangyal.

Mr Palden Gyaeso, political prisoner who spent nearly 33 years behind bars in Tibet, honoured Ms Meghan Howard, an American, who "showed the courage to display the Tibetan flag at a function in Howard University while a Chinese leader was delivering his speech."

A Tibetan Film Festival was also organised along with the contest during the past three days. The audience award for Best Feature Film was given to "Kundun" and the award for the Best Tibetan Film went to "The Cup".

Speaking to mediapersons after the contest, the winner said that the contest was not just about outer beauty. "In my own way, I'll try to contribute to the Tibetan cause, doing different things from my two predecessors," she said.

She also said that Tibetan girls needed education and that she would like to help them in becoming more aware of their culture, the Tibetan cause and also the Miss Tibet pageant. "But before all this, I'm anxious to rush to my parents in Sikkim," she said.