"I entered like a winner." -Vasuki Sunkavalli

Those who know Miss Universe India 2011 Vasuki Sunkavalli use many words to describe her. Confident, intelligent, genuine, kind, strong, beautiful, etc. Perhaps the most fitting word is driven. This is a woman who has, in a relatively short time, accomplished many things. Undoubtedly, the most striking thing about Vasuki is her unyielding drive. She sets a goal, she works towards it, and she achieves it. What better role model for the young girls of today?

Vasuki attended Symbiosis International University and graduated with an LL.B degree in 2007. While there she was president of the Human Rights Cell and Deputy Editor of the University Law Review. It was during this period that she was approached several times by members of the fashion industry. She declined as her priority then was her education. She knew if tried to do both, she wouldn’t be able to give her all to either. Doing something halfway is not acceptable to Vasuki. In 2006, she received the Law School prize for Most Diligent Mooter and won the gold medal in the Inter-College Moot Court competition. At graduation, she was awarded the D.L. Mazumdar Medal for Overall Outstanding Performance in 2007 and the Mother Teresa Scholarship for exceptional work in Human Rights. Vasuki also found time to do an internship at a law firm conducting research and assisted in drafting license agreements. While in law school, she did a series of internships at India’s National Human Rights Committee where she drafted petitions and wrote shadow reports regarding women’s issues and general human rights issues such as right to healthcare and water.

In 2007, Vasuki made her entry into Indian fashion when she walked the ramp at Wills India Fashion Week. For the next two years, she had a prolific career as a model. She participated in various shows for many of India’s top designers and modeled for brands based in Mumbai, New Delhi, Jaipur, and Kolkata. She was also part of the ad campaigns of Nike, Kit Kat, and World Gold Council. During this period, Vasuki also worked at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Avahan Project for HIV/AIDS as Programming Officer. As assistant to the program director, she drafted policies and conducted fieldwork in an effort to spread awareness and introduce sex education to rural areas.

In 2009, Vasuki enrolled at New York University to study International Law and Human Rights. She graduated with an LLM as a recipient of the prestigious Dean’s Scholarship. Upon graduating, she interned at the Human Rights Watch in NYC where she worked on reports regarding illegal police detentions and children’s rights. She was then appointed as the Third Committee’s research assistant at the United Nations’ Permanent Mission of India. While there, she concentrated on human rights.

As one can see, Vasuki is deeply committed to making a contribution to the world that has given her so much. Infact, it was one of the reasons behind her enrollment in the Miss Universe pageant. Vasuki is many things. Vasuki is a woman on a relentless pursuit to make a difference. She is a lawyer, an athlete (she played basketball at both state and national levels for eight years), a model, and a crusader for human rights. But to those who know Vasuki, she is quite simply a woman whose gorgeous face pales in comparison to her inner beauty. Many say she is a beauty with brains, but she is in fact much more. She is a brutally honest woman who fights fearlessly for that which she believes is right. Vasuki demonstrates the generosity of spirit and dedication to community that is expected not only of a Miss Universe, but of a true citizen of world.

To vote for Vasuki in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant in Brazil, click here.

choice!

I was watching an old interview in which Sushmita Sen was promoting one of her movies. I'm pasting the part that intrigued me. Anna is the interviewer.

Anna: Cosmetic surgery is a huge thing in Venezuela simply because for a large number of young girls, these international pageants are their goal. How is one not to take it as a shallow beauty pageant?
Sushmita: Because Irene Saez who is an ex-Miss Universe ran for president. And I'm sure she had cosmetic surgery. So what? That's the point.
Anna: But should you not be proud of your looks the way you were born?
Sushmita: That's like saying everybody should have the same mind and opinion. You are born as an individual. You have the right to choose. That's what makes you different. You choose plastic surgery, so be it. You choose being gay, so be it. And it is our job as a society to encourage people to be individuals.



Now, I know very little about beauty pageants and of what I do know, there's very little that I like. I'm not going to go into what it is that I like or don't like. The point of this entry is that we need more women who think like Sushmita Sen. Not only think, but have the guts to be vocal about their opinions. She is very well-spoken and comes across as an intelligent, open-minded woman. It is important to accept and even promote individuality. It is not up to you to tell me how to live my life. If my actions don't affect your well-being, then you have no right to pass judgment. It baffles me when people get offended about others' choices. How does it affect you? How can one say that a Hindu man marrying a Muslim woman is wrong? It is their choice. Just because it's something you would not do, that does not give you the right to tell others not to. It should also be noted that in the excerpt above, Sen is not promoting plastic surgery or beauty pageants. And she's not telling people to get surgery and then compete in a pageant. What she's doing is saying that you have a choice. You are an individual and as long as you are prepared to face the consequences of those actions, you have every right to live life as you see fit. This way, when you fail, you have no one to blame but yourself. And that is a kind of freedom that is priceless. So make your own choices and be brave enough to stand by them. Speak your mind. Fight for your beliefs. Stand up for yourself.

the most beautiful woman in the world? please!

Lets talk about Aishwarya Rai. Yes, she's beautiful. Yes, she won Miss World more than a decade ago. Yes, she's a beauty queen that actually made it as an actress. Andddd I still don't get the hype.

First of all, it is my opinion that she is not that great of an actress. Her biggest hits/best performances have been in movies which were made my top directors, with top actors, and huge production houses. A real star makes a mark even in a movie that fails. When all else fails, she smiles.

Second, she seems very stupid. She comes across in her interviews as a very ditzy person. If I were a beauty queen, I would ensure that I didn't fall into the "dumb beauty queen" stereotype. She giggles in response to a lot of questions thrown at her. How far can beauty take you in a conversation? Eventually, I would get bored and walk away.

Third, this woman is in a very unique and highly influential position, regardless of whether she deserves to be or not. She is followed and photographed endlessly. People are genuinely interested in the silly details of her life. Why hasn't she taken a stand on any of the issues affecting the world today? She can be an incredible role model to the next generation of Indian women, maybe even women around the world. Why isn't she? She seems to be spending a lot of time posing in couture gowns and filming commercials with her husband.

As corny as it sounds, beauty is not skin-deep. Looks fade, substance is eternal. To me, a beautiful woman is more than just shiny hair and glowing skin. It is Melinda Gates, the woman providing vaccinations to children in Zambia and India. It is Oprah Winfrey, the woman educating young girls in South Africa. It is Michelle Obama, the woman speaking out about the health of American children. It is Queen Rania, the woman fighting so that Middle-Eastern women have rights. Women who make a difference, not for their own gain, but for those who cannot speak for themselves. Instead of sitting at home with their Pradas and Jimmy Choos, these women are making a mark.

Now, who are the role models here?


"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything." -Unknown