Bendangrenla new Miss Nagaland

DIMAPUR, Dec 22 — All of 21 years, standing at 5’4” and aspiring fashion designer- Bendangrenla Imsong, the 32-26-34 girl joined the bandwagon of the glamorous 12 when by the decision of the panel of four judges, she was crowned the most beautiful girl of Nagaland for the year 2002 at the Miss Nagaland 2002 Beauty Pageant held under the theme “Looking Beyond….” at the North Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, here, on Friday. Bendangrenla who started her glorious walk down the ramp with the Miss Dimapur 2002 title in the month of August and then went on to clinch the Miss Spunk Umbel 2002 title transcended her 13 fellow contestants by answering the questions, posed by the judges, with aplomb and won the 13th Miss Nagaland beauty pageant, held for the first time in Dimapur, the commercial hub of Nagaland. Mhonbeni Serena, charming the judges with her disarming smile and candid answers was declared the 1st Runners-Up while Azi Tetseo became the 2nd Runner-Up. With vital statistics of 34-26-34, Mhonbeni was also adjudged Miss Perfect 10 while the title for Best Ethnic Wear went to Azi Tetseo. Hongkong Lepla of Tuensang won the sub-titles of Miss Photogenic and Miss Congeniality. While complimenting the answer of one of the contestants who felt that patience is the virtue which makes Naga women better than Naga men, chief guest, Nagaland Governor, Shyamal Datta projected that the Naga women are better than their male counterparts because they are more peaceful. He categorically asked the Naga men to listen to the voice of sanity, which comes from Naga women who, he stressed, should come to the forefront and take Nagaland towards peace and prosperity. The 14 beauties of Nagaland had to go through four rounds before being selected by a panel of judges that had designer Bambi Kevichusa as chief judge, social workers Yanthan and Bendangnukshi and Miss Nagaland 1994, Margaret. The event hosted by Abu Metha, Editor of the recently launched English daily from Dimapur, Eastern Mirror, was interlaced with an enthralling choreography by ‘The S Brothers’, winner of the Hornbill Festival dance competition, an ethnic fashion show by designer Malaliu Rongmei, duets and fashion shows.