Yukta is new 'Miss World'

Entertainment Showbiz Pakistan , Bollywood & World Entertainment
1

Another Indian wins ‘Miss World’

After Asihwarya Rai it’s Yukta Mookhey

LONDON (AP) - A 20-year-old from northern India was chosen Miss World 1999 Saturday over 93 other contestants.

Yukta Mookhey, a brunette who wore a pale blue evening gown, won $100,000 and a year of travel around the world.

Miss Venezuela, 24-year-old Martina Thorogood, was runner-up, and Miss South Africa, Sonia Raciti, 21, won third place.

``It is the best day of my life because I had this as a beautiful dream as a child and now it’s come true,‘’ said Miss Mookhey.

In an apparent effort to update a fundamentally old-fashioned competition, the organizers avoided a swimsuit competition and instead showed viewers a film of the contestants at play on a beach in Malta.

During the judging, Miss Mookhey said she would like to have been born Hollywood film star Audrey Hepburn, whom she admired for her ``inner beauty, compassion and great aura.‘’

She told the judges that Thai food was her favorite and that she would love to go to Paris.

She was crowned by her predecessor, Linor Abargil, 20, from Israel.

Miss Mookhev graduated from college with a degree in zoology and has worked in computer software programming. Her family is from northern India but she was educated at a British School in the Persian Gulf region. She has studied classical music in India for three years.

Indian women won both Miss Universe and Miss World in 1994.

The seven judges include boxer Lennox Lewis, Formula 1 motor racing driver Eddie Irvine and Dean Cain, who plays Superman on television.

The pageant was created in 1951 by a public relations executive for a small leisure and entertainment company. It was envisioned as a single event that year, but was kept going after the United States started the rival Miss Universe contest in 1952. It has been held in many countries and was last held in London in 1988.

2

Indian newspapers were jubilant Monday after 20-year-old Yukta Mookhey was awarded the Miss World title, becoming the fourth Indian to take the crown.

"Mumbai (Bombay) girl on top of the world," ran the caption on a front-page photograph of Mookhey in The Hindustan Times, flanked by runners-up Miss Venezuela and Miss South Africa.

Mookhey is the third Indian to win the title in six years and the fourth in the 49-year-old history of the contest. The Indian Express said India needed just one more win to equal Venezuela's record of five.

The Times of India -- published from Mookhey's hometown Mumbai -- was in ecstatic mood.

"By the time the millennium's last Miss World was chosen, it was obvious that winning had become a habit with the '90s Indian woman," the mass circulation daily said.

"Obviously, Indian beauty is undergoing a strange metamorphosis, even as it is invading the world with its mesmeric charms," it added in a separate commentary.

Manpreet Brar, a former Miss India, said beauty pageants had added a new edge to Indian beauty.

"When our girls go there, they know it is not about pretty faces anymore. It is about beauty, presence of mind, an ability to communicate with diverse people."

Mookhey, a zoology graduate, beat 92 other contestants Saturday night to become Miss World. She pocketed 60,000 pounds (96,000 dollars/95,000 euros) prize money.

Martina Thorogood, a 24-year-old from Venuezuela, was second, and Sonia Raciti, 21, from South Africa was third.

Mookhey said she thought India would be "extremely happy" she had won.

"I am an ambassador for India now. I am young and raring to go," she told reporters at a photo session.

"In India we have a whole network of cultures and I want to spread those beliefs in tolerance," Mookhey said.

Mookhey, however, had harsh words for women's rights campaigners, who stood outside the venue waving placards reading: "Stop this sexist cattle market."

"I have little time for feminists who say doing this degrades a woman's dignity," the Indian girl declared, adding those involved "would not object to watching an obscene movie on television."

Mookhey was groomed for the title by her beauty-school director mother. She is the fourth Indian to win the Miss World title after Rita Faria in 1962, Aishwarya Rai in 1994 and Diana Hayden in 1997.

There were celebrations at Mookhey's home in Mumbai, with neighbours pitching in.

"I hardly slept the whole night. It was unbelievable," said her younger brother, Kanwal. "I was overjoyed and extremely proud when Yukta was declared Miss World."

3

India hails Miss World

FROM DAVID ORR IN DELHI

The Times (UK)

INDIA yesterday celebrated the victory of its Miss World contestant, hailing it as a national triumph rather than a mere beauty pageant title.
Yukta Mookhey, 20, a zoology graduate from Bombay, beat 93 rivals to claim the crown at the final in Olympia, London, on Saturday night.

"In buses, on trains and on the streets, people are talking of the win," a Times of India reporter said last night in Bombay.

Nafisa Ali, a former Miss India, said: "It's not a win for just any Indian girl. It's a win for the culture, tradition and the deep sense of belonging which Indian women have."

**The victory was not without controversy, however. Vocal protests attended the holding of the Miss World contest in India in 1996, with demonstrators saying it was degrading to women and conflicted with Indian ideas of womanhood. Outside Olympia on Saturday about 20 protesters waved placards, one of which read: "Stop this sexist cattle market."

But the new Miss World was not sympathetic. "I have little time for feminists who say doing this degrades a woman's dignity," she said, adding that the protesters "would not object to watching an obscene movie on television".**

Miss Mookhey said she thought that India would be "extremely happy" that she had won. "I am an ambassador for India now. I am young and raring to go."

4

A few questions:

[quote]
"It's not a win for just any Indian girl. It's a win for the culture, tradition and the deep sense of belonging which Indian women have."
[/quote]

1) How is winning Miss World a victory for "indian" culture?

[quote]
the protesters "would not object to watching an obscene movie on television".
[/quote]

2) So two wrongs make a right?

3) Are Indians now saying that external beauty is important in life? Why is everybody so happy about this?

4) Why was the entrant from Northern India? Got something against Southern Indians?

finally;

5) Did she have a nice tush?

5

Dear Mr. Xtreme, It is only a recognition for the looks. You should be happy that someone from “our” part of the world is considered ‘beautiful’. I am against such pageants, but at the same time the definition of ‘beautiful’ is constantly being revised. Blond is no longer the word. So get over it. I didn’t watch the show, but I can somehow picture her tush being a typical of an Indian/Pakistani female. Small Butt Shapely.

6

Mr. Xtreme :

1) How is winning Miss World a victory for "indian" culture?
Don't know about that ! It's just that girls from relatively conservative cultures can win these types of contests !

the protesters "would not object to watching an obscene movie on television".
2) So two wrongs make a right?
No...it means those people are least qualified to make statements against the pageant....first go and ban porn movies then come and protest !

3) Are Indians now saying that external beauty is important in life? Why is everybody so happy about this?
Only reason everyone's happy is because someone from our nation won a contest.

4) Why was the entrant from Northern India? Got something against Southern Indians?
No we've got nothing against South Indians --- the girls who represent India in beauty pageants are the ones who win the Femina Miss India contest in which participants from all over India take part --- she won...so she was representing us -- simple !!!

5) Did she have a nice tush?
Didn't check. :)

By the way...you almost seem like one of the judges for the contest.

7

http://www.satyamonline.com

The feelings were coming straight from my heart"
SatyamOnline spoke to Yukta hours after she was crowned Miss World 1999 in London. There was no trace of euphoria in her voice as she spoke about the pageant and her plans. She enjoys e-chatting and is keen on setting up a site on the Internet.

What do you plan to do on returning to India?
I plan to call up everybody I promised to and also do a little shopping.

Will this super stardom affect your daily life?
I don’ t think it will change me as a person and I pray to God that nothing of this sort happens.

How was the preparation for the pageant?
Oh! it took me six months to prepare for the contest, with lots of physical exercises, watching BBC, CNN, knowing more about Indian culture and it is a long story.

What was the best part of the contest and the least enjoyable part?
The best part of the contest was the prejudging round with all the other 93 contestants. And there was nothing that was not enjoyable.

Are Indian girls the most beautiful in the world?
Yes. All are expressing so.

Why did you have your hand over your heart all the time?
I wanted to convey that I was grateful for such an open response I got from all and the feelings were coming straight from my heart.

Do you browse the net and what are your favorite sites?
Occasionally, I do browse the Net and e-mail. I also like chatting.

YUKTA’S FAVORITES:
Favorite Perfume – Poem
Favorite Beauty Saloon – Nalini & Yasmin
Favorite Restaurant – Zodiac at Taj
Favorite Gym – Rama Bains
Favorite Shoes – Catwalk
Favorite Bollywood Star – Akshay Khanna
Favorite Vegetable – Lady Finger
Favorite Non Veg. dish – Seafood (Prawns)/ Chicken
Favorite Fruit – Pineapple
Worst Fruit – Kiwis

Yukta’s family
Yukta’s father Inder Lal hails from Multan in Pakistan and journeyed to India during the Partition. Mother Aruna is an eye surgeon’s daughter and was brought up in Madhya Pradesh.

It was a classified ad in The Times of India that brought them together in 1973. Six years later, a bubbly bouncing baby arrived. The baby grew so fast that her mother had to stitch a new dress every day.

A stubborn but very disciplined child, she moved from one city to another along with her parents. She spent about eight years in Muscat where she studied at the British School.

On returning to India, Yukta enrolled at the Music School in Mulund where she learnt classical vocal for three years. Yukta completed her schooling from the JJ Academy School and graduated in zoology from Kelkar College, Mumbai.

Yukta has a brother Kanwal, a year younger to her and in the last year of his engineering degree at FYIT, Mumbai. Yukta never had a favourite teacher or a best friend, but she was very close to her cousin Poonam.

“I am very proud to be her sister and a source of self-confidence to Yukta,” gushed the 17-year-old Poonam. “On her way to the airport and till Yukta boarded her flight, she kept saying, ‘Please pray for me. I will be back with the crown.’” And she has done exactly that.

Yukta who stands an impressive 5’ 11’’ often lied about her true height. “Hey I am only five, nine,” she used to tell her friends. But her embarrassing height gave an added advantage at the Miss Indian pageant. And now at the Miss World contest.

“From the time she was a small child, she had been dreaming of this crown,” says her aunt Vibha Mookhey. “She always used to stand out because of her looks, height and dressing sense. She had this rare ability to create a pleasant aura around her.”

Yukta’s grandma Raj Mookhey went all the way to the event venue on a wheel chair and kept praying for Yukta’s success throughout the event. Her prayers did not go waste when the results were announced.

8

India's glamor scene was jubilant on Sunday after Miss India was crowned Miss World, with one of her predecessors declaring a win for the culture and tradition of the country's women.

Yukta Mookhey, a 20-year-old zoology graduate, won the Miss World contest in London on Saturday, beating entrants from 94 countries. She is the third Indian woman to win the title since 1994.

"It is not a win for just any Indian girl. It is a win for the culture, tradition and the deep sense of belonging which Indian women have," said Nafisa Ali, a former Miss India and second runner-up in Miss International.

She told Reuters the latest title proved that Indian women were "mentally stronger and have a deeper perspective." "It just proves that the Western world is recognizing Indian women."

Leading fashion designer Rina Dhaka told Reuters that Mookhey was a "very graceful person."

"I remember her as a tall unusual looking girl. I think she had all the qualities to win the title," said Dhaka, who was one of the judges during the Miss India contest in which Mookhey was declared the winner. "It is a matter of pride."

Kaamna Jain, a 24-year-old New Delhi housewife, said contestants from India are taking the competition much more seriously than in the past as beauty and fashion awareness is growing.

"They are going through an intensive training programme and grooming much ahead of the competition. This is adding a dimension of seriousness to beauty in India these days."

9

she must be sindhi, from surname.

10

I too hate these so-called beauty pageants but not for feminist reasons. I feel the contest is as stupid as it can get.
Have a look at the questions that are asked to test the ** personality ** of the participants :

1) Gived a chance whom would u like to meet and why ?

Winning answers :
(a) Mother Teresa (when she was alive)
(b) Nelson Mandela

2) What is that u like best about country ?
Winning answers:
(a) Indian contestant : Indian culture........unity in diversity.........blaa.....blaaaaa......more........blaa

3)If u were made the PM of your country , what would be in your priorty list ?
Winning answers :
1)Helping the disabled
2)Helping unprivileged children etc.etc.

That reminds me ,Madhu Sapre, an ex-athlete, honestly replied that she would constrauct a sports stadium and sure enough got the foot.

4)If u were to win the contest, what would u do with the prize money ?
winning answers:
1)Open an Orphanage
2)Open a hospitan
3)Donate in charity etc. etc.

Infact Sushmita Sen (ex. Miss Universe) actually said she would open an orphanage and guess what she is doing today.
Running around trees with dumb Hindi film heroes and singing 'dilbar,dilbar'.
Ditto for Aishwarya.

THIS CONTEST IS A FAKE......................

[This message has been edited by Some1 (edited December 08, 1999).]