Young women of South Asian and Fijian origin are increasingly being featured in national and international beauty contests in the mainstream segment, providing them opportunities to work with the weaker and needy sections of the society.
Among them is Niki Singh, who is a finalist at the Miss Universe New Zealand 2014 competition due to be held on September 18. She will vie for the coveted title with 24 others at a gala event scheduled to be held at Sky Theatre.
Niki was excited as she contacted us, having just returned from exotic Thailand, a trip that was facilitated by the organisers of the contest.
Among the highlights of the visit was meeting with a number of foreign dignitaries and appearing on Channel 5 News, one of the most popular television channels in Thailand.
Charity Auction
We look forward to hearing more from Niki about the Charity Auction that she had planned at the Mecca Chancery on August 30.
“This event will feature auction of many valuable items and the proceeds will go to ‘Variety, the Children’s Charity,” she said.
A graduate in Law from the Wellington based Victoria University, the 24-year-old beauty is proud of her Indo-Fijian heritage and is keen to get closer to people, understand their vicissitudes and help wherever possible.
As a lawyer working in Human Rights at the Auckland Disability Law Office, Niki looks forward to each day, which she said is spent in helping people suffering from long-term illness or disability.
Helping the needy
She said that she decided to participate in the Miss Universe Contest to represent the diverse culture of New Zealand.
“I was also keen to utilise the platform that it provides to partake in charitable endeavours and bring into focus the disadvantages that women and children faced by living under poverty, disability or social barriers. I hope to make the community more aware of the challenges that arise in their daily lives and bring about positive social change,” she said.
A website posting said that Miss Universe New Zealand brand was ‘successfully rebuilt and reinvented last year.’
“With a record number of entries and with our return to television after 21 years, we look forward to consolidating our position as the market leader. The record number of entries from 2013 has now been beaten. Four Stiletto Camps across the nation were held, and a final wild-card audition took place in mid-July,” the communique said.
Indian Newslink wishes Nikita the best at the forthcoming Miss Universe Title Contest.
Photographs by Norrie Montgomery
