By Our Reporter
The crown for Miss ‘Universe’ Meghalaya was unveiled today in the presence of Chief Guest Paul Lyngdoh, Minister of Arts and Culture, and Guest of Honour, FR Kharkongor, Commissioner and Secretary, along with other dignitaries.
The auditions for the pageant are scheduled to begin in July, and the main event will be held in and around August.
This event aims to not only showcase the talent from the state to a national audience but also provide them with a global platform.
The ceremony commenced with the unveiling of the event’s official logo by Guest of Honour and was followed by an introduction to Miss Meghalaya, Glamanand Entertainment Pvt Ltd, and Miss Universe India, presented by the reigning Miss Meghalaya, Stella Khongsni, and Amjad Khan.
In his address, Lyngdoh highlighted the government’s initiatives to support and develop the soft skills of the state’s youth, particularly in music and the arts.
He expressed his optimism that indigenous fabrics from Meghalaya would gain national and international recognition.
He also encouraged the youth to showcase their originality and creativity in the arts.
He further added that this is an opportunity not only for the arts and culture department, as the local faces will serve as cultural ambassadors, but also to represent the textiles and fabrics of the state, which are largely unknown outside the region.
He said, “It is not sufficient to borrow, infact it is more important to give.
Let the rest of the world be mesmerised, be enchanted by the wealth of our textiles.
In the nook and corners of Ri Bhoi district for instance, we have mostly women who have spent and today they are in the 2nd or 3rd generation, weaving patterns on the fabric, but most of these are not even known by many here in the capital city of Shillong.
We need to take those fabrics to the rest of India, to the rest of the world. And the aim is for us to go global.”
Amjad Khan, Director of Operations & Marketing Miss Universe india, NER handed over the state directorship to Dominic Savio Diengdoh, for Assam and Meghalaya.
Other guests included Miss Asia Pacific India 2024, Sophiya Singh and Miss Grand International India 2023, Arshina Sumbhul.