Hammasa Kohistani

Pageant titleholder bio
birthname= Hammasa Kohistani
photo=
caption=
title= Miss England 2005
nationalcompetition= Miss England 2005
Miss World 2005
birth = 1987
location= Tashkent, Uzbekistan
height=
eye color= Hazel
hair color= Brown

Hammasa Kohistani (born c. 1987 in Uzbekistan) was the first beauty contestant of Afganistan origin to be crowned Miss England, at the age of 18, on 3 September 2005. She was crowned following a two-day competition at Liverpool's Olympia Theatre and was chosen from 40 contestants. She attended Lampton School in Hounslow.

After her parents were forced to flee Afghanistan, she was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/4212412.stm BBC News, First Muslim Miss England crowned - A teenager who was born in Uzbekistan has become the first Muslim beauty contestant to be crowned Miss England.] ] She speaks six languages including Russian and her mother-tongue Persian. Ethnically, she is a Tajik from Afghanistan. [cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/media/audio/2003/051003_tajik-entert.ram |title=BBC Persian interview with Hammasa Kohistani |author= |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= October 5, 2005|year= |month= |format= |work=Interview |publisher=BBC Persian |pages= |language=Persian |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

She won the competition as a brunette, dressed in an ivory white chiffon and silk ball gown which had been designed and made by her mother. She later said "When they announced that I had won I thought I had misheard. I hoped they hadn't, but it took a second to sink in."

She also said that she was "happy to make history," that "I'm making history and I'm very happy. Hopefully I won't be the last" and that she was looking forward to representing England in the Miss World championships in China.

She was known as Miss Maya after the Asian fashion house which sponsored her, and has reportedly been offered a part in a forthcoming Bollywood movie.

Also in the Miss England competition was another Muslim, Sarah Mendly (aged 23), who was voted Miss Nottingham. Her entry had caused controversy, since contestants typically wear relatively little clothing, and was called upon to pull out of the contest by the Islamic Institute in Liverpool.

Hammasa represented England in the Miss World championships in December 2005, despite of being one of the favourites, she failed to advance to the semifinal of top 16.

Hammasa was featured in Teen Vogue magazine, in April 2006.

References and footnotes

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/4212412.stm First Muslim Miss England crowned] – BBC News story
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4515836.stm UK Muslim model to make history] – BBC News story
* [http://www.missworld.tv/bio/bio.sps?iBiographyID=51782 Hammasa Kohistani] – official Miss World biography
* [http://www.missengland.info/miss-en-finalists2005-maya.html Hammasa Kohistani] – Miss England 2005 finalists
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/race/story/0,,1862329,00.html Guardian (2006-08-31): Beauty queen enters Islamophobia debate]
* [http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article1223137.ece Message to middle England: 'We don't all wear burqas']