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TORONTO: Manasvi Noel is Miss India-Canada 2015.
This tall Gemini from Toronto was crowned the new Miss India-Canada by Bollywood actress Preity Zinta at the 25th anniversary of the biggest Indian beauty pageant in North America at Hotel international Plaza here on Saturday night.
Sharon Philipose from Ottawa-Gatineau was declared the first runner-up and Kajill Kaur Aujla from Calgary the second runner-up.
A communications student and belly dancer instructor, the new Miss India-Canada beat four finalists to take home a brand-new Chevrolet Spark and other prizes.
Manasvi Noel with Preity Zinta.
Manasvi Noel, who did very well in dance, evening gown and talent segments of the competition, was spot-on with her answer in the final quiz section when she was asked whether selfies are a sign of self-obsession.
In her reply, she said selfies are a great means to show yourself to the world. “With selfies, we tell what we have got…,’’ said Manasvi Noel.
A huge uproar erupted when Manasvi was declared Miss India-Canada 2015. The outgoing Miss India-Canada Annu Gaidhu was on hand to pass on the crown to the new beauty queen.
Amid applause, clapping and camera flashes, Preity Zinta and Gaidhu crowned Manasvi Noel as the 25th Miss India-Canada.
Manasvi getting the keys to her prize car from Chevrolet representative.
While Indo-Canadian beauty Tanpreet Parmar from Delta in British Columbia was adjudged Miss Photogenic, Priya Sharma from Winnipeg won the title of Miss Congeniality.
The Chevrolet Spark Award for Best Performance went to the second runner-up Kajill Kaur Aujla from Calgary.
Meghna Patel from Mississauga won the Air Canada People’s Choice Award and got two economy class tickets to India on the airline which is starting direct flights to New Delhi later this year.
Looking red-hot in the red gown, Preity Zinta said Toronto is a very special place for her as she shot her film Heaven on Earth and she has friends like Ajay Virmani (father of actor Vinay Virmani) here.
The Kal Ho Naa Ho actress said she was happy to be Canada in the summer. “The last time I was here, I froze because it was minus 20…,’’ Preity said.
The Miss India-Canada was started in 1991 by Kush Agnihotri whose son Sanjay Agnihotri now runs the pageant. Past winners of the Miss India-Canada include Kamal Sidhu (1991), Ruby Bhatia (1993), Gita Bali (1994), Rishma Malik (1996), Komila Jagtiani (1999), Neelam Verma (2001).
Priety Zinta joins other Bollywood stars such as Dev Anand, Zeenat Aman, Hema Malini, Raveena Tandon, Moon Moon Sen, and Suniel Shetty who have been chief guests at the past pageants.
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