---------------------------------------------------------- What's On In Goa: * Oct 16-17: Ornithology workshop, Bondla southernbirdwing.com * Oct 16-27: Vipasana meditation, Alto Porvorim * Oct 24: Antonio Pereira Puraskar (Award) ceremony, Porvorim ----------------------------------------------------------
Nigerian beauty causes stir at Indian pageant By Fakir Hassen, Indo-Asian News Service Durban, Oct 16 (IANS) An Indian Nigerian contestant for the upcoming Miss India Worldwide Pageant is already causing quite a stir because of her sultry, distinctively African looks. Xiyan Aweke, 24, the current Miss India Nigeria, was born in Nigeria of an Indian mother and Nigerian father. Aweke has caused concern among some people here because of her looks, which are "not Indian enough", according to some members of the public who complained after seeing her photographs in a local newspaper. But her African looks, offset by her fluency in Hindi and graceful Indian dancing learnt from her mother and many trips to India, have won her many supporters. Aweke said that whenever she visited India, people were surprised as they heard her converse in Hindi. She will join representatives from around 30 other countries in the Indian diaspora next fortnight when the pageant takes place on the African continent for the first time since it was started more than a decade ago. Kishore Ragunandan, chief executive officer of the pageant, also came to the defence of Aweke, strongly affirming her eligibility for the event. "There is absolutely no objection to Aweke's participation. The rules state that at least one of the entrant's parents must be of Indian origin and she must be proficient in at least one Indian art form. Aweke has complied with both." Elaborate preparations have been made for a week of festivity as the entrants go through various events to test their knowledge of Indian culture and skills in Indian arts such as dancing and music. An international panel of judges will choose the winner on November 2 at a gala evening. Aweke's mother Sita is a member of one of the first Indian families to settle in Nigeria in the early 1960s. After her marriage, Sita maintained close ties with India and undertook several visits there with her daughter, who also began to love its culture. --Indo-Asian News Service ======================================================================== To view GoaNet's archives http://groups.yahoo.com/group/goa-net ======================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Don't want so many e-mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead!
