The pageant has raised $288,000 to date for Cops for Cancer. From left, Ramneek Jawandha (Miss Teen Charity BC), Alisha Kalia (Miss Teen BC), Gloren Guelos (Miss BC and People’s Choice Award), and Tetyana Golota (Mrs. BC). Photos – Kuna Photography
SURREY – Numerous Indo-Canadian beauties were among the winners of the Miss BC pageant over the weekend while two took home big titles.
Alisha Kalia of Vancouver was crowned Miss Teen BC and Ramneek Jawandha was named Miss Teen Charity BC.
Kalia was born deaf and her platform is to help people with disabilities become more confident and strong.
Jawandha raised $11,415 all by herself for Cops for Cancer and her platform was to stop violence against women.
“I hope to create an organization that helps young girls learn the skills of leadership and self worth that schools don’t always teach and give them the tools to grow into strong leaders,” she said.
Gloren Guelos of White Rock was crowned Miss BC and won the People’s Choice award, while Tetyana Golota of Coquitlam was named Mrs. BC.
The pageant has raised $288,000 to date for Cops for Cancer.
Organizers say the event is not a beauty pageant, but a “development program.”
There is no maximum age limit to participate nor are there height or weight restrictions.
Leading up to the final pageant, all contestants received professional training in areas such as public speaking, interview skills, media relations, modelling, manners, and even self-defence.
They also attended a leadership seminar run by female leaders in the community.
The women compete in a private judge’s interview, an on-stage interview, sportswear and evening gown presentations, a sponsor costume introduction, and charity fundraising.
Other Indo-Canadian winners included Raven Thiara, who was crowned Miss Lower Mainland. Thiara hopes to “deconstruct gender inequality that extends beyond sexism.”
Kriti Chopra of Surrey won the Heart and Soul Award. Chopra used her experiences of being bullied and moving to Canada at the age of 10 as fuel to empower women to stay true to themselves and live life on their own terms. Currently a mentor for youth at risk and active volunteer, Chopra hopes winning her title will the help her to make a bigger impact on her community.
Sima Saxena was named Mrs. Vancouver Island. Saxena wanted to compete in the pageant in order to raise money for the Cops for Cancer charity, Miss BC’s charity focus, because her father-in-law was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
