By Lalit K Jha Washington, Oct 10 (PTI) Madhu Valli, an emerging hip hopartist and a student of criminal law at George MasonUniversity in Virginia, has been crowned as Miss IndiaWorldwide 2017.
Stephanie Madavane from France was declared runner up atthe 26th edition of the beauty pageant held in New Jersey onSunday.
Sangeeta Bahadur from Guyana took the third spot at thepageant that had contestants from 18 countries.
"I want to be the next biggest bridge between Bollywoodand Hollywood," Valli, 20, told PTI, a day after winning thepageant.
Her latest album was released a day earlier.
She said her dream is to be a recording artist.
Music, she said, is her passion.
She started learning vocals at 8.
The beauty pageant attracts people of Indian origin fromacross the world. It provides a platform to showcase howIndian culture has been preserved thousands of miles away, shesaid.
"I definitely want to speak to a lot of young IndianAmerican women about women empowerment and positive self-image," Valli said.
"I love both my countries, India and the US and I alwayswanted to discover a way to be a leader in both!" she said.
Sarita Pattnaik from Texas was declared Mrs IndiaWorldwide.
She is an interior designer by profession and mother oftwo children.
She wants to be a social activist and become a voice forwomen's empowerment.
Organised by New York-based India Festival Committee,Miss India Worldwide is the only international Indian pageantwith affiliates in over 35 countries and considered among thetop ethnic pageants in the world.
Last year, it also launched Mrs India Worldwide, whichprovides a platform for married women of Indian origin. PTILKJ ARK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.