Make-Up Artist From Odisha’s Koraput Wins National Level Contest

Koraput: Vanity thy name is woman. Nothing gives a woman a better high than adding to her beauty by tweaking her natural skin and hair a bit to enhance her beauty. Better products and growing awareness has given an impetus to the beauty industry with make-up professionals becoming a growing tribe.

Not only that, it has helped in making many women self-sufficient. In many cases, they are even the breadwinners of the family. A symbol of women empowerment, there is no taboo around the beauty industry now.

Koraput girl Rizwana Bano is one such girl. She won the second position in the contest of the best make-up artist in India held at Raipur in Chhattisgarh. She reached the finale after beating 43 participants. Make-up artists from Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Gujrat, Nagpur and Bhopal etc participated in the contest.

Rizwana is the daughter of Salimuddin and Sakina Bano and belongs to Kotpad in Koraput district.

“I belong to a small village in Koraput district. When I started taking training in make-up, people around me said that, doing a makeup course in Kotpad will be of no use. But after I completed the course and opened a parlour, there was a steady stream of women. It has been five years now and I have done many bridal and party make-ups. The contest was all about women empowerment. I got the second place with the support of my husband and family,” said Rizwana.

The finale of the contest was held on August 27 and Rizwana received the award in the presence of Bollywood actresses Urmila Matondkar, and Preeti Jhangiani.

“Women of my area love my work. I want to excel in my field. I am waiting for another big opportunity,” she said.

“People in Kotpad are very creative and have an artistic bent of mind. Given the right platform, they can bring glory to our district.”

“Rizwana’s success will definitely inspire other girls of the district,” said social worker Ganesh Panda.