Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, 7 October 2022
Given that Simran Madan is a strong advocate for preserving our environment and addressing the Climate Change challenge, it was no surprise that she was crowned Miss Earth New Zealand 2002 at the finals held in Auckland on September 23, 2022.
Simran Madan in her crowning glory (Photo Supplied)
She will represent New Zealand at the Miss Earth 2022 finals scheduled to be held in the Philippines on November 27, 2022, with participants from 80 countries vying for the title.
“I hope that my fellow New Zealanders will support me as I represent our country at one of the top five pageants in the world. I am seeking sponsorship,” she said.
An impressive journey
The 22-year-old student-teacher began her pageant journey in 2016 at Miss IndiaNZ 2016 and was a contestant at the Miss Teen NZ event held in 2017.
Her passion for ‘Miss Earth,’ was kindled when she was crowned Miss Teen Earth New Zealand in 2019 and Miss Teen Tourism Globe 2019.
Simran Madan, Miss Mother Earth NZ 2022 (Photo Supplied)
Her passion for animals and respect for Nature has made her a caring person.
“We should not wait for change to happen but take action immediately. We must save Mother Earth and I am determined to encourage our children and the youth to understand the importance of safeguarding our environment. There is a need to protect our plants and animals and all of us should work together towards this goal,” she said.
Simran is involved in many environmental and climate change activities such as tree planting, beach clean-up and climate strikes.
“Cleaning our beaches should not be seen as a chore but as a fun-filled activity for everyone – young and old. As I was engaging in a beach clean-up, many adorable children joined me. They were as excited as I was in restoring the earth,” she said.
Simran Madan is raising awareness of the environment among children (Photo Supplied)
About Simran Madan
Simran said that the experience gave her a vision for the future and a sense of hope.
Hard work, perseverance and pursuit of excellence over the past three years helped Simran to win the title of Miss Earth New Zealand this year, the first person of South Asian origin to achieve this prestigious and attention-gathering feat.
A graduate in Science and Psychology, she is pursuing her higher education to qualify as a Secondary Teacher from the AUT. As part of her University studies, she is also a student teacher at a high school which teaches predominantly Maori and Pacific youth.
She recently organised a quiz on Climate Change at the school, to raise awareness of the global challenge among the students.
“I was also doing my part to promote a better understanding of the problem and doing the right thing. The students loved the activity, and we were all able to interact and realise how sometimes it is the small things that can make a big difference,” she said.
Preserving the beauty of Nature is everyone’s responsibility says Miss Earth NZ 2022 Simran Madan (Photo Supplied)
The quiz and thereafter
Simran said that the quiz programme also made her realise that fun-filled programmes and activities can be an awesome way of educating the youth today.
“As a result of the Climate quiz, a few students made a special request to the senior leadership team at the School for recycling bins on the school grounds. This initiative stole my heart and showed me how we can empower others and the difference that we can make in people’s lives and bring about a positive change,” she said.
“I hope that New Zealand enforces Zero Carbons Act and achieves zero carbon emissions in the next 25 years,” she said.
Praneeta Mahajan is Indian Newslink Reporter based in Hamilton.
