Blessen Tom
Auckland, February 10, 2024
A 27-year-old former Police Officer is off to represent New Zealand at the Miss World beauty contest in India next month.
Navjot Kaur, who spent two years on the beat in South Auckland, won the title in a rapid-fire selection process in Auckland last weekend.
Next week, Kaur will join around 90 women vying for the 2024 Miss World title during a range of events in Delhi and Mumbai.
“I am very overwhelmed and thankful for the opportunity,” she said.
Navjot’s sister Isha also competed for a place in the New Zealand competition.
“It was not a competition between us. We had the same mindset that whoever wins will have the same morals and values that we learned from our mum,” Navjot said.
Showcasing Diversity
As a member of the Sikh community, Navjot believes that her representation helps to showcase New Zealand’s diversity to the world.
Her family migrated to New Zealand in the early 1990s before her birth.
Raised by a single mother, she aspires to make a positive impact on society and views the Miss World competition as a platform to do so.
“Growing up in a state house in Manurewa, I witnessed many young people struggling and I wanted to change that and hence I joined the Police,” she said.
Navjot graduated from the Police College in 2019 and left the Service two years later.
“What we witnessed on the frontlines was different from what we learned at Police College. There is family harm and child abuse and when I got onto the frontlines it emotionally drained me because I used to be very connected to the victims. I left after my last suicide case, which was very intense,” she said.
Following her departure from the New Zealand Police, she pursued personal training and recently acquired a Real Estate license.
“I wanted to help people get into the best shape, look and feel confident again, making a difference in people’s lives,” Navjot said.
About Miss World
The Miss World contest began in 1951 when entrepreneur Eric Morley devised a pageant to promote a new and controversial type of swimming attire called the bikini.
This caused some uproar, particularly in religious countries, which called the swimming costume immodest.
That controversy set the tone for the pageant, which along with other global beauty contests (Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Earth) has been a target of protestors.
Navjot said that the Miss World competition goes beyond superficial beauty, focusing on community engagement and philanthropy.
“There is always giving back to the community, a charity aspect and something to do with helping people,” Navjot said.
In 2014, Morley ditched the Contest’s swimsuit parade, saying that it “does not do anything for the woman and it does not do anything for any of us.”
Contestants are now expected to demonstrate skills and a commitment to fundraising and charity work.
“They are not doing the swim rounds at Miss World, so it does not objectify women.”
Aligning Beauty with Purpose
Navjot said that the Miss World platform aligns beauty with purpose, enabling participants to raise awareness and serve their communities.
The Miss World Organisation has raised more than £1 billion ($2.06 billion) for children’s charities since its launch.
Navjot is also an Overseas Citizen of India, adding an intriguing dynamic to her participation in this year’s contest.
“I’ve learned the best of both worlds. I can perform traditional Poi, the Karanga, which I did during my time in the Police, and of course the Bhangra, a traditional Punjabi folk dance,” she said.
Kiwis on the world stage
New Zealand’s most famous and successful beauty queen is Lorraine Downes, who won Miss Universe in 1983. A New Zealander has yet to win Miss World, though two have come second.
Suzanne Manning, National President of the National Council of Women said that beauty pageants are “no big issue.”
“It is not our biggest battle. There are so many other things that are far more discriminatory,” she said.
Manning said that If someone chooses to enter a beauty pageant because they believe it is the right thing for them to do, they should not be criticised.
“Women should not be judged for freely made choices. What I would like to see is that beauty pageants are open to everyone and different ways of being beautiful, rather than a particular body type, race or colour,” she said.
Educating and Inspiring Women
Navjot wants to use the Miss World platform to educate and inspire women in her community.
“There are norms in my Punjabi community, where women. When I became a Police Officer, I was questioned by my community. So, I think that this platform will allow me to inspire others and say, ‘If I can do it, you can do it too.’ Just dare to dream big,” she said.
Blessen Tom is a Journalist at Radio New Zealand. The above report and pictures have been published under a Special Agreement with www.rnz.co.nz
