Miss Tibet

Miss Tibet is an annual beauty pageant held in Dharamshala, India.^[1] It is produced by Lobsang Wangyal Productions. The pageant is a much-awaited annual Tibetan event, especially popular among the younger generation of Tibetans.

The purpose of the pageant is to provide a stage for young Tibetan women "to demonstrate the full range of their capabilities and interests", and to provide "role models for the younger generation, as spokespeople for their culture."^[2]

History

The first-ever Miss Tibet Pageant was held in October 2002 and was a success despite criticism from some prominent figures of the Tibetan community. The pageant was criticized as "aping western culture" and "un-Tibetan". The pageant has continued yearly since then.

In 2002, only four Tibetan girls participated in the competition. In two editions — 2003 and 2005 — the pageant had only one participant. In those years, that participant became the default winner. In 2006, the swimsuit competition was opened to the public. It was a surprising event because traditional Tibetan women wear clothing to their ankles.

Miss Tibet 2002, Dolma Tsering, has competed in two international pageants. She also won the Miss Goodwill subsidiary title from the pageant in Malaysia and the Best National Costume from another pageant in Mexico.

The Dalai Lama considers the pageant unimportant, but it is still held due to popular demand.^[3].

Of late, the Chinese government has interfered, pressuring international directors to name Miss Tibet as "Miss Tibet-China". Two Miss Tibets had to withdraw from international pageants — Zimbabwe^[4] and Malaysia^[5] — after they were asked to wear sashes with this title. Miss Tibet 2007 Tenzin Dolma was asked to wear such a sash in the Philippines at the last minute, but she refused, and was allowed to go ahead with the Miss Tibet sash. Miss Tibet 2006 Tsering Chungtak withdrew from the Miss Tourism Pageant in Malaysia after Chinese government representatives pressured the organiser to enter her as "Miss Tibet-China" in November 2007. Miss Tibet 2004 Tashi Yangchen had to withdraw from a pageant in Zimbabwe after the Chinese embassy in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, in a similar case of Chinese interference, asked her to wear a "Miss Tibet-China" sash in February 2005.

In 2011, Tibet resumed to sent their delegate to an international beauty pageant. Miss Tibet 2011, Tenzin Yangkyi was sent to the Miss Asia Pacific World 2011 beauty pageant, held in Daegu, Seoul, and Busan in South Korea. During the pageant, Yangkyi got a pressure from the Chinese government to wear the "Tibet China" sash, but she refused. Instead, she decided to change the sash name to "Swiss Tibet", because she was a Swiss citizen.^[6]

Miss Tibet 2011

Miss Tibet Pageant 2011 was the 10th edition of the annual event. The pageant was held in Dharamshala from 3 to 5 June.^[7] Tenzin Yangkyi was selected by the judges as Miss Tibet 2011. She represented Tibet in the Miss Asia Pacific World 2011 beauty pageant.

List of Contestants

Name	Age	Education	Hometown
Chemi Lhazom	25	MBA	Delhi, India
Dolma Tsering	25	Bachelor of Computer Science	Bangalore, India
Ngodup Dolma	25	Bachelor of Nursing	Australia
Tenzin Khecho	20	In college	Minnesota, United States
Tenzin Sangmo	25	Bachelor of Commerce	Dharamshala, India
Tenzin Yangkyi	17	Class X	Zurich, Switzerland

Miss Tibet 2010

Tenzin Norzom from Varanasi, holder of a Shastri degree (equivalent to Bachelor of Arts in Buddhist Philosophy), was crowned Miss Tibet 2010 at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts in Mcleod Ganj, India, on 6 June 2010. She received one lakh (100,000.00) Indian rupees (equivalent to 2,200 USD). After the crowning, Norzom said she would use the title to promote the Tibetan cause.

Yangchen Metok, a 19-year-old girl who had escaped to India in 2008, was judged the first runner-up. She received 50,000.00 rupees. Rinchen Choden, a 25-year-old hair stylist from Bangalore, was chosen as the second runner-up. She was given a cheque of 25,000.00 rupees. The fourth place Tenzin Namchoe from Golok, Tibet, was given a token prize of 10,000 rupees.

Considering the Kyigudo earthquake in eastern Tibet in April, the pageant was kept low-profile. No firecrackers were set off, but instead a short prayer session was held at the opening of the show. Lobsang Wangyal, the director and the producer of the event, gave Rs. 10,000 in donation to the victims of the earthquake.

Thousands of people in the audience cheered as the out-going beauty queen Tenzin Choezom crowned the new winner. A large number of media persons were also present to cover the event.

Kingfisher, a leading Indian brand, sponsored the pageant.

List of Contestants

Name	Age	Education	Hometown
Rinchen Choden	25	Bachelor of Commerce	Tawang, India
Tenzin Namchoe	22	Bachelor of Social Work	Lhasa, Tibet
Tenzin Norzom	24	Shastri degree (= Bachelor of Arts)	Hunsur, India
Yangchen Metok	19	Class VIII	Golok, Tibet

Miss Tibet 2009

Tenzin Choezom, Miss Tibet 2009

Miss Tibet 2009 was held from 16-18 June 2009. The finale was held on 7 June at Tipa. The four participants arrived in Mcleod Ganj on 28 May. A week's training was given from 29 May, until 4 June. The first round — the swim suit round — of the Miss Tibet pageant 2009 was held on 5 June. Two more rounds — talk and talent rounds — was held on 6 June. The remaining four rounds — introduction, evening gown, traditional costume and interview rounds — were held on 7 June at Tipa.

Thousands in the audience witnessed the crowning of Tenzin Choezom as the new Miss Tibet. Dr BK Modi, the Chairman of the Spice Corp, crowned the winner. He also presented a scholarship cheque of one lakh rupees (100,000 rs) to Choezom. Ngawang Choying was picked the first runner-up and Dolkar the second runner-up by a four member jury. Ngawang and Dolkar received scholarship cheques of 50,000 rs and 25,000 rs respectively. Yeshi was presented a consolation prize of 5,000 rs.

List of Contestants

Name	Age	Education	Hometown
Dolkar	24	Graduate	Dehra Dun, India
Ngawang Choying	18	School	Darjeeling, India
Tenzin Choezom	20	College	Dharamshala, India
Yeshi Lhamo	24	Diploma in nursing	Delhi, India

Miss Tibet 2008

Miss Tibet Pageant 2008 was held on Sunday 12 October 2008 at The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), Dharamshala, India. Two young women competed for the crown — Sonam Choedon, who came from Tibet to India in June 2008, and Jamyang Chentso, born in India^[8] Sonam Choedon won the title.^[9]

Sonam Choedon is a student. She is currently learning languages — English and Hindi. She is fluent in Tibetan and Chinese.

List of Contestants

Name	Age	Education	Hometown
Jamyang Chentso	22	High School	Kham, Tibet
Sonam Choedon	18	High School	Darjeeling, India

Miss Tibet 2007

Miss Tibet Pageant 2007 was held from 12 to 14 October 2007 in McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, India. Five young Tibetan women took part in the pageant. Tenzin Dolma from McLeod Ganj was crowned Miss Tibet 2007. She received a scholarship cheque of Rs 100,000 (2,500 USD). She represented Tibet in the Miss Earth 2007 pageant in the Philippines in November 2007.

Tsering Yangzom from Kollegal Tibetan settlement, south India, was the First runner-up. She received Rs 50,000 in scholarship. She was also the Miss Photogenic, receiving 1170 of the 3156 votes cast online at misstibet.com.

Deeki Dolma from Gangtok, Sikkim, was declared the Second runner-up. She received Rs 25,000.

List of Contestants

Name	Age	Education	Hometown
Deeki Dolma	20	College	Sikkim, India
Tenzin Dolma	21	College	Dharamshala, India
Tenzin Pema	19	B.A.	Dehra Dun, India
Tenzing Dolma	25	MBA	Sikkim, India
Tsering Yangzom	20	College	Karnataka, India

Winners

Year	Winner	1st Runner Up	2nd Runner Up	Origin	Remark
2011	Tenzin Yangkyi	Ngodup Dolma	Dolma Tsering	Zurich, Switzerland	Tenzin Yangkyi is a high school student in Zurich, Switzerland. She intends to become a professional model.
2010	Tenzin Norzom	Yangchen Metok	Rinchen Choden	Varanasi, India	Tenzin Norzom holds a Shastri Degree. She was born in Hunsur Tibetan settlement in South India.
2009	Tenzin Choezom	Ngawang Choying	Dolkar	Dharamshala, India	Tenzin Choezom is from Suja, near Bir in Himachal Pradesh. She has completed class XII, and is doing a computer course at the moment.
2008	Sonam Choedon	Jamyang Chentso	n/a	Kham, Tibet	In 2008, there were only two contestants, and hence there was no 2nd runner-up. Sonam Choedon didn't compete in any international pageant. Sonam Choedon is in Bylakuppe in South India, studying English and Buddhist philosophy.
2007	Tenzin Dolma	Tsering Yangzom	Deeki Dolma	Dharamshala, India	Miss Earth Pageant 2007, The Philippines [10]
2006	Tsering Chungtak	Wangchuk Palmo	Tseten Yangzom	Shillong, India	Miss Earth Pageant 2006, The Philippines [11] Miss Tourism Pageant 2007, Malaysia [12]
2005	Tenzin Nyima	n/a	n/a	Bylakuppe, India	The 2005 Pageant had only one contestant.
2004	Tashi Yangchen			Gangtok, Sikkim	Expelled: Miss Tourism World Pageant Zimbabwe, due to pressure from China [13]
2003	Tsering Kyi	n/a	n/a	Amdo, Tibet	The 2005 Pageant had only one contestant. Tsering Kyi met Prince Charles in New Delhi India, October 2003 [14]
2002	Dolma Tsering			Minyak, Tibet	Participant: Miss Tourism Intercontinental Pageant 2003, Malaysia [15] Winner: Best National Costume, Queen of Tourism International 2003, Mexico [16]

External links and references

• Little Lhasa: Reflections on Exiled Tibet, by Tsering Namgyal. Chapter 5, "Miss Tibet", pp. 65-77.
• Official site of Lobsang Wangyal Productions
• Official site of Miss Earth Pageant
• Official site of Miss Tibet Pageant

Footnotes

1. ^ Miss Tibet | From the Roof of the World
2. ^ http://misstibet.com/aboutus/objectives.html
3. ^ His Holiness Dalai Lama — Comments on Miss Tibet 2006 | misstibet.com
4. ^ Tibetan beauty banned from pageant in Zim
5. ^ Miss Tibet slams China over expulsion from pageant
6. ^ Tenzin Yangkyi fanpage
7. ^ MissTibet.com history page
8. ^ Miss Tibet 2008 contestants | misstibet.com
9. ^ Sonam Choedon is Miss Tibet 2008 | misstibet.com
10. ^ Tenzin Dolma participates in Miss Earth pageant | misstibet.com
11. ^ Miss Tibet participates in Miss Earth | misstibet.com
12. ^ Tsering Chungtak in Malaysia | misstibet.com
13. ^ Home away from Home in Zimbabwe
14. ^ Prince Charles meets Miss Tibet | misstibet.com
15. ^ Miss Tibet meets Miss China in Malaysia | misstibet.com
16. ^ Miss Tibet won Best National Costume in Mexico | misstibet.com