HAPPENING -- 16

‘TRIPLE CROWN’ FOR POOJA 

AT 

‘MRS INDIA WORLDWIDE 2019’ CONTEST

By P S SUNDAR

The Coonoor-based ‘Mrs Nilgiris 2018’ titleholder Pooja Singh Yohan has brought another set of laurels to The Nilgiris by winning ‘Triple Crown’ in Haut Monde Mrs Worldwide 2019’ finals held in Greece.

“I was crowned thrice at this international contest – First Runner-up (South), Mrs Style Icon and Mrs Porto Carras, Greece making me the first woman from The Nilgiris all these years to win three titles in one international contest”, Pooja told me after returning from Greece.

“The contest was open to married Indian women from across the globe which drew around 40,000 entries.  Of them, 180 advanced to the finals after several rounds of rigorous elimination and just 15 of us got selected for the climax”, she said.

“In Greece, the selection process went on for a week with rounds for introduction, talent, location shoot and the grand finale.   In the question and answer session, the jury asked me, inter alia, to describe beauty and I explained the grandeur of inner beauty over the external physical appearance which received loud applause”, Pooja disclosed.

“I am now committed to take this purpose of life forward by showering motherly affection on deprived children by doing my best to lift them from the phase of ‘mercy’ to the elegance of ‘merit’ so that future India will have meritorious youth who are country’s assets and not liability”, she asserted.

“Equally, my winning sends message to married women in our country that life does not end with marriage or begetting children; on the contrary, a new phase of global appreciation for them begins”, said Pooja (43) and mother of 10-year-old boy.  (Many contend that Pooja looks like a college student!!)

And, it was a great pleasure to see two other promising national/international young achievers from The Nilgiris congratulating Pooja and vice versa, Pooja congratulating them.. These young achievers were 1. Mohammed Azarudeen (24), a certified coach of International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF) who has trained a candidate each for Rio Olympics and Junior Youth Olympics and is among the youngest such coaches not only in India but the global track as well; he has just returned to Coonoor from Indonesia after attending a fully-sponsored the IAAF training to function as lecturer for other coaches ... 2. A Mujamil (21), National Silver and Bronze Medalist in 800 metres running race, coached by Mohammed Azarudeen, now selected by Government of India’s Sports Authority of India (SAI) for Indian national camp to train him as potential candidate to represent India in Olympics 2020 at Tokyo. 

left to right:  Mohammed Azarudeen , Pooja and Mujamil

 Pooja’s grandfather Sardar Gajendra Singh was the first Indian General Manager of Government Cordite Factory in Aruvankadu and her father Col Mahendra Sigh (retd) lives in Coonoor.  Her husband Vinay Yohan works for merchant navy in Shanghai.

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)