Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Smita Ashok Kanungo brought laurels to the state by winning the Mrs and Miss India Queen of Hearts contest held at New Delhi.
The four months of hard work and online training sessions culminated with a win for the soft skills trainer from Bhubaneswar, who was crowned Mrs and Miss India Queens of Hearts in Classic category (40 plus) in the fourth season of the pageant.
The final rounds of the contest which was held in three categories – Miss, Mrs and Classic, were held from December 26 to 28 where 50 contestants were judged for the crown.
Speaking to Odishabytes from the national capital, Smita said the win has boosted her confidence and plans to use experience to guide aspiring models.
During the four months, they were trained and judged in different rounds like fitness, talent, grooming, discipline and current affairs, among others.
The mother of two teenagers, a girl and boy, she said the kids too have supported and helped come through with flying colours. Being a soft skills But, in general, one needs to work a lot on that,” narrated Smita.
Sharing some moments from the journey Smita said “I have these knee issues and walking on heels was challenging and I stumble on some occasions but it was my children who boosted my confidence. You have to set a benchmark and push your limits to achieve those targets. I think, I have proven this and hope to achieve more in the future.”
About the beauty pageants for middle-aged women, Smita said “Women go through different sets of struggles at different stages which given us an experience like none other. Many women have dreams but can’t achieve those due to some reason. These platforms given us an opportunity to live that life.”
“Participation in competitions like these builds up a person’s confidence. The advantages of interacting with people from different professional backgrounds and grooming sessions is an added experience,” she said.
“Being a fashion designer and soft skills trainer myself, I feel I can now help many other aspiring models and other women by grooming them well and help them achieve their dreams, said Smita who will be returning to the hometown tomorrow.
The contestants were judged by a three-panel jury that included actress Pavitra Punia, celebrity nutritionist Varun Katyal and Miss India Asia, model and pageant coach Samiksha Singh.
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