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New Miss Tibet crowned

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Sonam Choedon, 18, moments after being crowned Miss Tibet 2008 in Dharamshala, India on 12 October 2008. Choedon came into exile in India from Tibet in June 2008.MissTibet.com/India

Eighteen-year-old Sonam Choedon was crowned the new Miss Tibet last night at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, India.

Tenzin Dolma, Miss Tibet 2007, passed on the crown to the new winner amid fireworks, showers of confetti, and a huge applauding crowd. She also received a cheque of 100,000 rupees (2,500 USD approx) to further her education and skills.

Jamyang Chentso, the only other contestant, was the runner-up, and received a cheque of 50,000 rupees (1,250 USD approx). She is a receptionist at a company in Gurgaon.

“Miss Tibet is a great platform to talk about Tibet. I will do my best to do that,” said Choedon moments after crowning.

The organisers of the pageant corrected Choedon’s reported year of birth to 1990 instead of 1983, and her year of coming into exile in India to June 2008.

The two contestants competed in four rounds including Gown, Talent, Traditional Costume and Interview, as a crowd of over a thousand cheered them on.

Dr Rashmi Ramoul, a lecturer at the Government College for Teachers’ Education, and Natasha Mendes from Brasil, a belly-dance teacher, judged the contestants and decided the winner.

In the interview round, concerning the revelance of Gandhi to the Tibetan people, Choedon said, “Gandhi is the most important freedom fighter of India. He fought with non-violence. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is following his path and pursuing the Middle-way approach to resolve the Tibetan issue.”

She admitted that she has not studied about Gandhi in Tibet as it is not taught in schools. “I am speaking from the brief knowledge I have gained and heard about Gandhi after coming into exile.”

Sonam Choedon was born in Lithang, Kham, eastern Tibet. She is a student, has studied up to class 8 in Tibet. She is fluent in Chinese, as well as Tibetan.

She came into exile in India for better opportunities for education. Dancing, reading and studying languages are her interests.

In the future she would like to become a dance teacher and also work on languages. She would also like to use her life and strength to help others in need as people have done for her when she first arrived in India.

The organisers announced that the Miss Tibet 2009 Pageant will be held in May-June 2009, and the application will be up on MissTibet.com/apply/ at the beginning of December.

Copyright © 2008 Tibet Sun

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