By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 25: Amidst the vibrant Durga Puja celebrations here, there was an extra touch of glamour in Rilbong as city girls walked the ramp in the Rilbong Puja Queen 2023, on Monday.
The 13 participants gave in their all; however, Sonia Sunar Chettri clinched the title of Rilbong Puja Queen 2023, while Anisha Kumari Ray came a close second.
The title of second runner-up was bagged by Ekta Kanwar.
The winners were crowned by the reigning Miss North East, Irene Dkhar, who also is Miss Meghalaya 2022.
The event was organised with an intention to give a platform to the girls in the city seeking to make a profession in modeling and in the fashion industry, and also encourage local Khasi talents in this field get associated with Puja revelry.
Several subtitles were awarded to the contestants, with Pallavi Sengupta winning ‘Miss Beautiful Eyes’, Sanjita Thapa receiving the title of ‘Beautiful Smile’, Komal Sharma excelling in the ‘Best Catwalk’ category, and Ekta Kanwar shining with the ‘Best Personality’ award.
The winners were handed over cash prizes of Rs 25,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively, while the winner of the subtitles were awarded cash prizes worth Rs 5,000 each.
Rochelle Wahlang coached the contestants in preparation for the competition, and Iba Wriang served as the master of ceremonies.
Earlier, the president of Rilbong Durga Puja Committee, Manas Chaudhuri, expressed delight in involving local Khasi talent in the cultural extravaganza of the beauty pageant and Puja celebrations, hoping that this trend continues in the future.
The beauty contest was sponsored by Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank Ltd., along with support from Courtyard by Marriott, Polo Towers, Delhi Mistan Bhandra, Golder’s Café, Honey Dew, and TLC Beauty Salon.