Sunday May 05, 2024
Sunday May 05, 2024
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The title holders with pop sensation Yohani following her performance
By Divya Thotawatte
The finale week of Mrs. India Inc Season 04 was held in Sri Lanka recently as its first pageant to have been held internationally.
At a press briefing held last week, Mrs. India Inc Director Mohini Sharma, along with the winner and the first four runner-ups of the competition spoke on their experience of the pageant finale week held in Sri Lanka from 13 to 19 July. The grand finale was held at Nelum Pokuna while Cinnamon Grand hosted the contestants.
Sharma spoke on her decision to hold the finale in Sri Lanka. “I hold a strong relationship with both Rosy Senanayake who won the first Mrs. World Competition and Caroline Jurie and that is what motivated me to have it in Sri Lanka in the first place. They have also immensely supported me with this event,” she said as she also expressed her desire to internationally highlight the Mrs. India participants’ potential of winning the global pageant.
She added that due to organising the event in a foreign country, most supporters of the contestants were absent from the audience at the event which initially seemed discouraging to the participants. “But the experience we would give to the contestants was beautiful, it was a change of vibe and energy we all needed. Having new experiences, learning new things, meeting new people and trying new cuisine added up to the whole experience,” she explained.
Sharma as well as the winners of the competition commended the hospitality and support received by the country, noting that the pageant was held in Sri Lanka without challenges due to it.
Following the grand finale week, Mrs. India Inc in collaboration with hospitality partner – Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, hair and make-up partner – Ramani Fernando Salons, exclusive local producer – Jigsav and agency of record – Cyaniq Consulting and Advisory hosted the grand finale of the 4th edition of Mrs. India at the Nelum Pokuna, Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre with the participation of 72 contestants from various parts of India vying for the glamorous title. The pageant fulfilled its promise of being the most enthralling edition yet, amidst a star-studded panel of judges including Bollywood stars Malaika Arora, Dino Morea, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Cherag Bambbot and Bhawna Rao. South Asia’s pop sensation Yohani graced the stage with a special performance, draped in a signature outfit by Lovi Sarong, captivating the audience and celebrating beauty, grace and diversity. The event was produced locally by creative producer and entertainment executive Dilanjan Seneviratne in partnership with the franchise owner Mohini Sharma, the National Director of Mrs. India Inc.
“This year’s edition of Mrs. India is truly a special one for us and a milestone of our extraordinary journey. We have successfully taken our pageant to the international stage here in Sri Lanka, showcasing the talent, cultural diversity and beauty of women from all around India. I’m thrilled for the winners of this year’s event and want to extend my warm congratulations to each and every one of the contestants and finalists. I also have to extend my sincerest thanks to the event partners and everyone else who supported us in making this vision a reality. Last but not least, we are all thoroughly impressed by the brand of hospitality Sri Lanka has extended, and we are confident our paths will inevitably intertwine in the near future,” said Sharma. The grand finale witnessed the crowning of Chethana Joshi Tiwari as Mrs. India for the year 2023 and also saw the crowning of Disha Shetty, Sohini Rohra, Nikita Satya and Roohi Marjara as first, second, third and fourth runner-ups respectively. The winners will have the prestigious opportunity to represent India at the global pageants later in the year.
Aseka Wijewardena in performance at the event
The celebrity jury with the newly crowned Mrs. India 2023
“It’s been the realisation of a long-held vision to contribute towards hosting an event of this scale and nature in Sri Lanka. I fully believe that Sri Lanka is a prime destination to hold international events, and this is just the start of what I’m sure we will achieve in this industry going forward. I had the privilege of working with a truly capable team and received the support of many individuals and brands on this journey. I’m thankful to everyone who helped us bring this event to Sri Lanka including Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts, Lovi Sarong, Certis, Cyaniq, and my team at Jigsav for producing the event,” commented Jigsav Creative Director and Entertainment Executive Dilanjan Seneviratne.
The event was a true celebration of beauty, grace and glamour with the 72 contestants vying for the title alongside the musical performance from Yohani and captivating dance performances by Aseka Wijewardena and her troupe of highly capable dancers showcasing the cultural identity of Sri Lanka to the distinguished audience in attendance.
The evening concluded in high spirits with contestants crowned and an after-hours celebration of the event at the Cinnamon Grand with the participation of the glamorous audience, jury and attendees.
