Charity is beauty, says Kangleipak Chanu

IMPHAL, March 16: Lack of insight, eloquence particularly in English and talent and want of physical elegance are some of the setbacks before the participants from Manipur in beauty contests held outside the state. This was admitted by the new Miss Manipur (Kangleipak Chanu), Rajkumari Mandakini Devi, while speaking to the IFP days after she was crowned Miss Manipur 2001. A second year BE (Computer Science) student in the Govt College of Technology, Imphal, Mandakini, 19, with 34-27-351/2 and 5'7" vital statistics outshone 4 other contestants on March 9 in the final round of the Miss Manipur 2001 contest, organised by United Multi Trading Company, and waltzed off with the title. Her winning the title threw into ecstasy not only herself but also her parents, a resident of Thangmeiband Lairen Hanjaba, as well as her couturier, Marina Laimayum, in whose finery she sashayed onto the catwalk this contest. Before the final event, she had charmed the jury and smiled her way to claim the best Personality sub-title. She had earlier participated in the FEBECO Miss Manipur 2000 and reached up to the semifinal. However, she nurses no cold comfort that she failed to romp home nay of the titles in the previous contest. An IT enthusiast, naturally, Mandakini's cherished ambition is to become a successful computer engineer. She is, by her own admission, critical of affaire d'amour and prefers to remain unattached. Mandakini is somewhat ambivalent on preservation of culture which was the theme of the Miss Manipur 2001 contest. She says education and attractive face alone are not the quintessential virtues of a beautiful woman. A truly beautiful woman should also have in her a sense of charity and sacrifice and gentle demeanor, she says. Mandakini says beauty contests in the state provide the women a forum to gauge their status and talents. It also enlightens the women about themselves and harsh realities in the society, she adds.