Manipur beauty queen to sue contest organizer

IMPHAL, April 14: United Multi Trading Company (UMTC) which has been in the news solely for organising the Miss Manipur Contest may get the sting of a lifetime from the queen bee. RK Mandakini who was recently crowned the Miss Manipur in the UMTC sponsored contest has decided to bring all the contestants and subtitle winners of the contest to prosecute the company. "I am filing a complaint against the UMTC and a decision reached in this regard by the contestants and winners will be published in the local papers very soon", the newly crowned queen told IFP expressing extreme disappointment with the cash award of the contest in comparison to previous contests. "I feel very ashamed to have participated the contest or having won the title and I am so discouraged that I don't want to take part in any of these contests", she said. Mandakini who said the organisers make her feel so small and humiliated, maintained that the purpose of the organisers are solely commercial and exploitation of the beauties for their narrow ends. Mandakini said she was given a meagre Rs 4000 for winning the title. Kajal and Thoi who won first runners up and second' runners up were paid only Rs 3000 and Rs 2000 respectively and the sub-title winners were awarded Rs 1000 each. She said beauty contest is an expensive business for the contestants and the prize hardly cover the designer's charges. She said the contest also involves precious time for the contestants. Prizes for the winners of the 2001 Miss Manipur title was distributed at the Manipur University Centenary Hall on April 12 last, after much delay.