Miss Tibet: 2002-2005
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Miss Tibet 2002
Additional inputs from Pratibha Chauhan Tribune|
The first-ever Miss Tibet pageant held in October 2002 was a huge success despite criticism from some prominent figures of the Tibetan community. The pageant was criticised as "aping western culture" and "un-Tibetan". The pageant ended up becoming a global lead story although only four Tibetan girls plunged in to the competition.
Richard Gere, a die-hard Tibet supporter and one of Dalai Lama's many high-profile disciples, scoffed at exiled Tibetan youths’ passion for beauty and fashion. Notwithstanding the paucity of funds and a virtual absence of sponsors, the organiser of the Miss Tibet contest, Lobsang, a pony-tailed youth with an earring dangling from his ear, who is mmensely popular among the Indian-born Tibetan youth, is the brain behind the beauty pageant held for the first time at Mcleodganj, the headquarter of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
Though the pageant was criticised, the leaders did not try to ban it as it is apparently being publicised. It is debatable if beauty pageants are "western culture".
Dolma Tsering
The 20-year-old winner of the first Miss TIbet contest, Dolma Tsering, is a rage amongst the younger Tibetan generation ever since she shot into limelight. Not only is she getting offers from Tibetan film directors, but is being picked up for plum modelling assignments in Delhi.
It is with great pride that Tibetan youth have displayed glossy photographs of Dolma with Miss China in their shops and homes. She won the Best National Costume Award at the Miss Tourism contest held in Mexico and was voted Miss Goodwill at the Miss Tourism Inter Continent contest, held in Malaysia.
Born in Tibet, it was in 1994 that Dolma fled to India along with her family. After attending school for a few years at Patlikuhl in Kulu district of Himachal Pradesh, she was forced to drop out, to supplement the meagre earnings of the family. She is currently [in 2003] doing modelling assignments in Delhi, and also training to be a singer.
LIVING in the remote village of Minyag in Amdo region of Tibet, spending time playing in the maize fields and enjoying Yak rides, Dolma could have never imagined that one day she would become an ambassador of the Tibetan cause. Dolma came with her family to India in 1995 and she shot to fame when she was crowned the first Miss Tibet at Mcleodganj
Since the successful conclusion of the first-ever Miss Tibet pageant, the winner Miss Tibet, Dolma Tsering, has contested in two international pageants, one in Malaysia and another in Mexico. She won the Miss Goodwill subsidiary title and the Best National Costume in the two countries respectively.
• Miss Tibet won Best National Costume in Mexico • • Miss Tibet met Miss China in Malaysia • • Dolma went to France • • Dolma failed to go to Turkey because Dolma didn't have her Identity Certificate (the Yellow Book) ready.
Miss Tibet 2004
by Kirsten Hyde [1]
Tashi Yangchen, a 24-year old computer engineer, was crowned Miss Tibet 2004 in McLeod Ganj, India.
The show was attended by over 2,000 people, Yangchen was also announced the winner of Miss Photogenic 2004.
There were five contenders for the coveted title — Dhondup Wangmo, Kalsang Dickey, Sonam Dickey, Tashi Yangchen, and Thinlay Dolma.
Yangchen lives in Sikkim, India
News channels from around the world, including the BBC and ARD in Germany, filmed the pageant,.
The Tibetan theme prevailed throughout the event as the five contestants participated in a Tibetan costume round, sang traditional songs in a talent contest, and gave a presentation on topics about Tibetan current affairs, history, the political situation and culture.
Lauren Cutcliffe, the presenter of the show, invited two dedicated supporters of the Tibetan cause — Palden Gyatso, a former political prisoner who spent 33 years in Chinese prisons in Tibet, and Meghan Howard, winner of the Free Spirit Award 2004 — to begin the ceremony with the lighting of the Free Spirit torches.
The Free Spirit Award was given to Howard to acknowledge her contribution to the Tibetan cause. Last year, she criticised the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, when he gave a speech to students at the Harvard Business School in the US. After he said, "I understand my people and I love my people," Howard stood up, pulled out the Tibetan flag and shouted, "Tibet belongs to the Tibetan people. We will never stop fighting. I am a voice for those inside Tibet. Free Tibet."
She collected her award from Palden Gyatso before a cheering crowd.
The audience was kept entertained in between the pageant rounds by swing dancers Tim Collins and Jessie Litven from the, and Rinzin Palmo, a Tibetan singer who performed two songs from her album, Amay Shelray.
Miss Tibet 2005
MCLEOD GANJ, India, 8 October 2005
Tenzin Nyima was born in 1983 in Bylakuppe, the first and the largest Tibetan refugee settlement in South India. She attended Tibetan Homes School in Mussoorie for her schooling. She is studying in the final year for a BA English Honours degree in Delhi. She would like to continue with her studies. She likes playing basketball and dancing to Hindu dance numbers.
Tenzin Nyima, the lone brave participant for the Miss Tibet 2005 title was crowned as the new Miss Tibet at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts before an audience of a thousand plus spectators.
Nyima felt that the other applicants may have dropped out due to the social pressures on the Tibetan girls.
•On 4 February 2006 Tashi Yangchen went to Zimbabwe to participate in Miss Tourism World
• On 19 February Miss Tibet was expelled from Miss Tourism World due to Chinese pressure • On 10 July Chinese pressure ousted Miss Tibet from Malaysia Pageant
See also
Miss Tibet (in exile): The contest Miss Tibet (in exile): 2002-2005 Miss Tibet (in exile): 2006-2009 Miss Tibet (in exile): 2010-2013
