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In conversation with Takam Anju, the state director of Miss Universe India from Arunachal Pradesh
Takam Anju from Itanagar has been appointed the state director of the Miss Universe India competition for Arunachal Pradesh. She will be responsible for the selection of the representative(s) from the state of Arunachal Pradesh for the upcoming Miss Universe India contest – the Indian preliminary event to the world’s biggest beauty pageant, Miss Universe. Takam Anju is an award-winning entrepreneur and event director and currently serves as the chairperson for the Miss Capital beauty pageant and the CEO of the Tribal Patterns event. She has been awarded by the Muskan Women Foundation for her significant contributions to the society. In this exclusive interview with the Beauty High magazine, she talks about her journey so far and what can be expected from the state of Arunachal Pradesh at the upcoming Miss Universe India competition.
Q. Many congratulations to you on being appointed the state director for the Miss Universe India competition. How does it feel to shoulder such a prominent responsibility?
Answer: Thank you very much. It's a great honor to be chosen as the state director for Miss Universe India competition. I am really excited to help the talented and beautiful women of my state in achieving their dreams.
Q. What inspired you to take up the role of a beauty pageant director, and what keeps you motivated in this industry?
Answer: Empowering young women and celebrating their talents have inspired me to take up the role of the state director. I have been part of the beauty pageant industry for more than 13 years now and throughout my journey, I have seen several candidates and winners grow and attain success in their lives. This journey has made me witness several young girls with big dreams transform into strong and empowered women. The thought of being part of the journeys of so many talented individuals have kept me motivated and inspires me to continue moving ahead.
Q. Please tell us about your journey in the beauty pageant industry. When did it begin and how has your experience been so far?
Answer: My journey in the beauty pageant industry began 13 years ago. It was not easy at all but the journey did teach me several new lessons. Many of the most crucial events of my life happened in these 13 years; I overcame several challenges but the lessons that I learnt have made me understand things at a much deeper level. In spite of initial hardships, the thought of working with strong women of our society and helping young girls achieve their dreams kept me moving ahead. I am happy that now with all the lessons from my past and the experience that I have, I can help the current and future generations to achieve their dreams.
Q. How do you stay attuned to ever-evolving trends and preferences within the beauty pageant industry?
Answer: I stay attuned to ever-evolving trends in the pageant industry by communicating with the candidates and people associated with the pageant world. Alongside that I also do a lot of market research to know about the current happenings at the international level. I also watch news related to fashion and beauty to stay updated with the reforms that are taking place in these sectors. Also, while attending such events, I always make sure to communicate with the people because knowledge can be gained from anyone.
Q. What is going to be your plan of action now that you have been assigned the responsibility of selecting your region’s representative(s) for the prestigious Miss Universe India 2024 competition?
Answer: Certainly! Here is a concise plan of action to select our Arunachal Pradesh’s representative for the upcoming Miss Universe India competition.
- Forming a selection committee that comprises former pageant winners, experts from the fashion and modeling industry, fitness coaches and communication and soft skills experts.
- Following the eligibility criteria and making the thorough background and health checks to make sure our representative matches all the standards set for representing India at the international stage.
- Formulating and implementing marketing strategies to promote the brand in our state and create more awareness regarding the social causes associated with the organization.
- Conducting auditions to make sure we can reach as many aspirants as possible and select the best amongst those.
- Offering proper training and grooming sessions to the candidates to improve their skills so that they can be the best versions of themselves when they reach the finale.
- Carefully making the final selection by keeping under consideration even the smallest of things to make sure we don’t miss out on anything.
- Once the winner is crowned, we are going to offer her with proper training and prepare her for the national stage. Alongside that we are going to help with the wardrobe, accessories and everything that she will need to be her best throughout this journey.
Q. Can you please share some behind-the-scenes insights into the planning and execution of the selection process that will be conducted to select your region's representatives) for the national finals of Miss Universe India 2024?
Answer: Yes. The preparations have already started and we are going to make sure that whoever represents Arunachal Pradesh at Miss Universe India, she does full justice to the title that she would carry and fulfills her responsibility with utmost dedication and sincerity. We are going to conduct a thorough search throughout our state to make sure we can reach as many aspirants as possible. Once the selection is done, we are going to put them through a well-designed training and grooming program so that their skillset can be enhanced and their talents can be polished. We are going to put extra emphasis on communication skills as it is one of the major qualities that a beauty queen must have. Alongside that we are going to support them in their social projects as well so that we can highlight the true purpose of a beauty pageant which is much more than a source of entertainment.
Q. What qualities are you going to be looking for while selecting your region’s representative(s) for the upcoming Miss Universe India competition?
Answer: While selecting our region's representative(s) for the upcoming Miss Universe India competition, we would look for such an individual who is connected to her roots and carries herself with confidence. She should be a 21st century woman who understands the true meaning of being empowered. She should be someone who has love and empathy in her heart and is not afraid of being herself.
Q. Once the selection of the representative(s) is done, will there be any training program that the representative(s) will be attending prior to heading to the national finals?
Answer: Definitely, after the selection of the representative, we have a experts and professionals from the fashion and modeling industry who will be grooming her for the national finals. She will also have the chance to train under former beauty pageant winners who can share their experiences with her. She will also attend sessions with communication and public speaking experts so that her communication skills can be enhanced.
Q. What is the most crucial piece of advice that you would like to share with the individuals that want to join the beauty pageant industry?
Answer: The most crucial advice for the aspiring beauty pageant contestants is be themselves and be comfortable in your own skin. Put your mental and physical well-being on prime priority and focus on growth every day, no matter bigger or smaller, a growth is still growth. So keep working hard and keep growing.
Q. Any message for the readers.
Answer: Always be authentic and never give up on your dreams. Some journey might be longer than the other but the satisfaction of reaching the destination will be euphoric.
As Takam Anju unfolds a new chapter in her life by undertaking the responsibility of selecting the representative(s) from Arunachal Pradesh for the upcoming Miss Universe India competition, we wish her good luck in her new journey. Whoever wins the title, it is very certain that she will receive the right guidance and training under the management of Takam Anju. It will be indeed exciting to see who will mark Arunachal Pradesh’s debut at the nation’s biggest pageant this year.
