SUSHMITA CROWNED FIRST EVER MISS TEEN INDIA WORLD

On a glittering ceremony, amongst blossoming lotuses at *the Flying Dutchman*, Logix City Centre, Noida; *Ms. Jasmeet Kaur*, the Indian National Director of Miss Teen World 2019; crowned *Sushmita Singh*, 18, from Kalyan, Mumbai, the first ever Miss Teen India World; while Samragyi Bansal and Pritika Pahwa took home the 1st and 2nd Runner-up titles respectively.

Since the proud victory of her daughter- *Ms. Srishti Kaur*, who became the first Indian and Asian to win Teen Universe in 2017; Jasmeet Kaur set on a mission to take the Indian talent to the world of International Teenage Beauty Contests.

The national contest was honoured by the presence of chief guest Mr. *Udit Raj* (MP.), guests of honor Mr. *Sandeep Marwah* (AAFT), Mrs. *Ratan Kaul* (Public Diplomacy Forum). The top 11 finalists selected from all over India were judged upon facial beauty, fitness, intelligence, talent and compassion by finale jury members Lt. *Rita Gangwani*, *Komal Nirula*, *Sharmila* and preliminary jury member *Ravinder Pal Singh*; all led by *Sristhi & Jasmeet Kaur*.

Sushmita, an aspiring student of mass media, will now represent India in El Salvador, Central America, in one of the world’s top 3 biggest International Beauty contest for Teenagers- *Miss Teen World (Mundial)* by *Francisco Cortez*, who is a maker of national and international beauty queens for the last 35 years.

*Teen Universe 2017*, *Srishti Kaur* said, “Women’s Rights and Empowerment is a hot topic, but there is still a lot of discrimination amongst boys and girls in society. The freedom of girls in suppressed in the name of their safety and they do not get ample opportunities to chase their dreams.”

*Jasmeet Kaur* believes India is emerging as a strong force in the teen category of Beauty Pageants and is extremely positive that Sushmita will make the nation proud.

A number of sub-contest winners were crowned during the contest: Sushmita (Teen Photogenic), Samragyi (Teen Smile, Vivacious & Talented), Pritika (Teen Brains), Drishya (Teen Skin), Sana (Teen Hair), Rishika (Teen Brains, Catwalk, Congeniality), Megha (Teen Body) and Manasvi (Teen Eyes); the first 5 of which were the top 5.

After Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra; this was the other time that there was a tie in the results, which led to a second question and answer round, where the daughter of *Satyabhama* and *Naveen Kumar Singh*- Sushmita emerged as a winner, with her beauty and brains, in a competitive pageant where the contestants supported each other with their sisterhood, mentored by *Melvyn Noronha*. India’s leading International Pageant mentor. Melvyn will now coach Sushmita in the hopes of bringing the international crown for India along the directorship of *Jasmeet Kaur*.