Beauty with a cause

Recently-crowned Miss India Manasvi Mamgain, who was here last week, has associated herself with two causes, the People for Animals and Gyanuday Programme for children of Sapera Basti, an initiative of Doon School for the underprivileged kids

Though she has been dubbed by the media as a Mumbai girl, Manasvi Mamgain, winner of the Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2010, says that she is essentially an Uttarakhandi girl. "I may have studied in Chandigarh and Delhi and may be in Mumbai for work, but I belong to Uttarakhand. I am first and foremost an Indian and then an Uttarakhandi," she underlines.

Manasvi was crowned at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai last week. The event was judged by writer Chetan Bhagat, actor Kunal Kapoor, Olympic medallist Vijender Singh, actress Shilpa Shetty, director Anurag Basu, fashion designer Ritu Beri and tennis player Sania Mirza Malik.

Interacting with the media, she admits that she is proud of her home town Nainital. "I have fantastic memories of Nainital where I spent many happy days with my cousins and relatives," she reveals. So what is it about Uttarakhand that she likes the best? "Well, the air, nature and freshness in women here are what I love. I will put in a word with the organisers to hold a regional round here. The women here are amazing. They have a slim figure and amazing skin. I, too, have got my hair quality and petite form from the soil of Uttarakhand," she smiles.

Did she always want to be part of the world of glamour? "Yes, I always wanted to be an actor and join films. That's why I trained in as many as five dance forms since the age of five. Ever since I saw Aishwarya Rai win a beauty contest, I have dreamt of becoming Miss India. Next step will now surely be films. But before that, it's preparation for the world pageant. For that I am working on the smallest of details such as diction, walk, etc. They are tough. They watch you from day one," she states.

The newly-crowned beauty states that women's issues are what she would like to address in the near future, especially issues related to Uttarakhandi women. "Women here suffer a lot. They are suppressed a lot. My own parents were separated and I know the hardships that my mom has faced in bringing me up single-handedly. I am a proud Indian and I feel that the best way to empower women is to educate them, so that they can stand on their feet and fight oppression. I am proud to be ambassador for two NGOs working for education," says Manasvi.

While in Doon Manasvi associated herself with two causes -the People for Animals (PFA) and Doon School's Gyanuday programme for children of Sapera Basti. "With PFA I have begun an association that I hope will go a long way. Personally I am an animal lover and would want to devote myself wholeheartedly to their well being," she avers. Manasvi made it a point to visit Sapera Basti where students of Doon School have adopted children of snake charmers in order to steer them on the path of education. Amrit Burret, Teacher In-charge of Doon School's social programme, states, "This will be their first generation going to school. And Manasvi by her support has given a real boost to this endeavour."

It was no wonder that Manasvi won some very important sub-titles at the contest - a total of five including Beauty with a Cause, Beauty with a Golden Heart apart from Best Skin, Catwalk and Natural Beauty. Social causes have caught her attention since childhood, she informs. Indeed her USP that that helped her clinch the title was her concern for others to a great extent. "My Indianness - modernity clubbed with tradition is my USP - I think my USP," says Manasvi, who has a special word for her Mom, "It's her dream that I am fulfilling actually. She has pushed me to go out there and do things. That's what has given me the real confidence in life."