By Phurbu Thinley

Dharamsala, October 14: Firecrackers were repeatedly shot into the air making spectacular patterns and hundreds of crowd made a roaring applause as the grand finale night of the Miss Tibet 2007 unveiled its stage.

Director producer of the Tibetan beauty pageant Mr Lobsang Wangyal thanked the crowd for their overwhelming support. “I am happy to see such a huge crowd and it is a sign of growing acceptance in Tibetan society,” he said. “Miss Tibet also enjoys international fans” Mr Lobsang added, referring to foreign Medias and visiting tourists present in large number for the show.

After going through seven rounds of competition in three days, 21-year-old Tenzin Dolma from Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, was crowned Miss Tibet 2007 here this evening.

Miss Dolma is the first contestant from Dharamsala since the first edition of the Tibetan beauty pageant was launched in 2002.

A part-time model and a call centre executive based in Delhi, Miss Dolma had to resign from the latter one to participate in the beauty pageant.

Miss Tibet 2006 Tsering Chungdak crowned Tenzin Dolma and was presented a scholarship cheque of Rupees 100 000 by Mr Wangyal.

“I am now no longer an individual but, have a bigger responsibility for myself and for the larger cause of Tibet” Miss Dolma said after winning the title. She intends to use the title to promote Tibet issue. She will participate in the forthcoming Miss Earth contest.

My parents and my family members are my inspiration and they thought it was the right thing to do”, she said when asked what inspired her to take part in the beauty pageant.

Miss Dolma longs to visit Tibet someday and raise voice for Tibet to be free. She, however, says she supports and stands by “His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Middle way approach” to resolve the issue of Tibet.

Tsering Yangzom, a 20-year-old from Karnataka was declared the first runner-up and also won the Miss Photogenic award receiving 1170 votes of the 3156 votes cast online by public.

“20-year-old Deeki Dolma from Gangtok, Sikkim was declared the second runner up and won a scholarship cheque of Rupees 25 000.

Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) was awarded Miss Tibet’s “Free Spirit Award 2007” for their active role for the cause of Tibet.

Tenzin Choeying, SFT’s National Coordinator for India on receiving the award appealed Tibetans and Tibet supporters to be ready to act during the Beijing Olympic Games, which will start on August 8 next year.

Five contestants vied for Miss Tibet 2007. Tenzin Pema, 19, from Clement Town, Dehradun and Tenzing Dolma, 25, from Gangtok, Sikkim are the other contestants.