Suman Rao: The Miss world pageant has empowered many women

By - TNNPooja RaisinghaniCreated: Dec 18, 2019, 01:00 IST

Suman Rao, Miss World 2019 - 2nd Runner-Up (Miss World Asia 2019) did the country proud at the recently held Miss World 2019 pageant in London. She was crowned 2nd Runner-Up and sashed ‘Miss World Asia 2019’ at the grand event, which witnessed participation from 112 countries for the coveted title. In a candid chat with BT at Hyatt Regency Mumbai (venue partner), the 21-year-old, who recently returned to the city, spoke about how she is gearing up to travel the world to support various social initiatives and her unforgettable experience at the pageant, among other things.
Having won two titles — Miss World 2019 - 2nd Runner-Up and Miss World Asia 2019 at the recent pageant — what’s the next step in your journey?
As the winner of the second title, you get to travel along with the Miss World Organization and the reigning Miss World herself, and get to work on so many social projects, which is primarily the vision and mission of this pageant. I remember when all the contestants were talking about their respective initiatives, we could sense the impact we have created back in our countries. I have generated employment opportunities for women in Rajasthan and had also taken some handicrafts made by them to London. Julia Morley (Chairman, Miss World Organization) said that this is the best thing that I could possibly do for my community.
In your previous interview, you had mentioned that this would be your first international experience. What was it like to interact with people of various nationalities?
London is full of Indians, so I didn’t really feel that I was in another country. It was my first trip there plus, I’ve always wanted to go to London since I’ve seen it in so many Bollywood movies. I remember, during the rehearsals, our current Miss World, Toni-Ann Singh from Jamaica, who is fond of Bollywood music, suddenly asked me to sing a song. I had recently heard the remake of Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi and I started singing that song. And she wanted to sing it, too! So, when I taught her, Miss France joined in, followed by Miss Belgium and Miss Trinidad, and before I knew it, everyone was singing along. But what’s funny was that none of them could pronounce bheegi bheegi (laughs!).
Previous title winners like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have made a mark in Indian cinema. And now, Manushi Chhillar (Miss World 2017) is all set make a foray into Bollywood. Would that be the next step for you, too?
I entered the world of pageants because I wanted a platform to voice my opinions and ideas through which we could bring about a change in my community back in Rajasthan, where women are not given equal opportunities. I feel that change is happening there, too, but not as fast as it is happening around the rest of the world. And my community really needs the change to come about. However, in this process, I developed an interest in modelling and I am keen to be a part of Bollywood as well. I love Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movies, so
acting is on my mind, but to get there, I need to get started. I love Deepika (Padukone)
and Priyanka (Chopra Jonas). They are simply remarkable. Someday, if possible, I want to meet them and get a chance to work with them.
You mentioned that you wanted to be a part of pageants because you also wanted a platform to voice your opinions and make a positive difference to society. Do you think that is another reason that draws so many women to this international platform?
It’s not just about you empowering others, but it’s also about how you evolve in the process. This is the magic that this pageant creates. It’s valuable and has empowered many women. It gives a platform to over a hundred women every year to showcase their talent, and the work that they are doing towards bringing about a change in society. What can be more wonderful than that! The pageant not only focuses on showcasing beauty, but also the talent of the contestants. And when you’re helping people worldwide, you inevitably get a positive response. The love that I’ve received across social media platforms was touching. I’ve had an amazing team, and everyone came together to groom me and prepare me for this challenge. It was not just me, who was representing India, it was also the team at the Miss World stage. And I could see that not all countries had that kind of a privilege.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/spotlight/suman-rao-the-miss-world-pageant-has-empowered-many-women/articleshow/72845007.cms