PLANS for the upcoming Miss India Worldwide Trinidad and Tobago (MIWTT) pageant are already underway and franchise holder Neha Karina Dawar couldn’t be more excited.
Over the past eight years, Dawar has made a name for herself in the fashion world as the creative director of fashion brand Neha Karina. When she decided to take the reins at the Miss India Worldwide Trinidad and Tobago pageant, it felt like a natural progression for the India-born, Trinidad-based entrepreneur and designer who has an eye for beauty.
With a background in fashion, dance and performing arts, Dawar, who was the first runner-up at the Miss India Worldwide Trinidad and Tobago pageant in 2015, is very comfortable in her role as the franchise holder of MIWTT – a pageant that has existed for the past 40 years. Her first order of business was to launch a robust marketing campaign to reinvigorate the show and focus on the holistic development of participants in all three competitive categories.
Dawar’s aim was to get back to the essence of the show – something she says she had lost.
“What happened with the pageant industry over the years is that it got confused with modeling, so some girls thought they were entering pageants with the goal of eventually becoming a model. But pageant winners aren’t just about being pretty and knowing how to walk, they’re brand ambassadors for their country, so our focus is on modeling the girls, building their confidence and training them in several areas, including etiquette and interviewing. skills,” said Dawar.
The first production of the Miss India Worldwide Trinidad and Tobago pageant under Dawar’s leadership took place last year and exceeded expectations. It created a buzz of excitement and revived the realm of local Indian pageantry. Most important, Dawar said, is the impact the competition has had on the participants themselves.
“A year after acquiring the Miss India Worldwide pageant franchise, we have seen its potential as a dynamic product, leveraging the elements of beauty, fashion, entertainment and culture. For the first time, T&T saw three delegates representing our nation at an international show with other delegates from around the world,” said the franchise holder.
Dawar was born in Delhi. She and her family moved to Trinidad when she was a child. Her foray into art began with Kathak dance, which soon became her first love. After completing a degree in marketing, Dawar studied fashion design at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. Her frequent travels to India and exposure to beautiful fabrics and dazzling jewelery inspired the creation of her own fashion label, Neha Karina, which produces Indian wear for men and women.
Before taking charge of MIWTT, Dawar had her pageant introduction in 2015 when she competed in the Miss India Worldwide Trinidad and Tobago pageant and bagged the first runner-up title. The experience sparked a desire within Dawar to use her talent in fashion, art and entertainment and transform the pageant into the spectacle it is meant to be. As MIWTT’s franchise holder, its aim is to make the competition a must-see event on the local calendar.
Dawar plans to ramp up the excitement for MIWTT 2023, which will take place next January. The theme will be Bollywood, and Dawar promises a dramatic stage production, complete with glam and glitz and lots of prizes and hurdles for the participants. The winners of all three categories – Teens, Miss and Miss of the local part of the pageant – will travel to India to compete with international delegates.
“The response to the casting call has been amazing, some are even flying in to participate in the competition,” said Dawar. “The few are about women inspiring women. It’s so encouraging to see so many girls and women stepping up and wanting to get involved.”
For more information, visit Miss India Worldwide Trinidad and Tobago on Facebook.
