MAKING WINNING PROFILES

Anjana Mascarenhas, founder and managing director of DIVA Pageant, mostly coaches married women for state, national and international pageants. She conducts three pageants under DIVA Pageant, that are rated among the top ones in India. “Mrs. Maharashtra, that started in 2016, happens in November. It is rated as the state’s number one pageant. Every year more than 300 women apply for it, out of which we choose around 50. Another one is Mrs. West India, being conducted in April for the last two years. The final pageant is Mrs. India — Empress of the Nation which started in 2018 with 32 contestants. This year, we had 42 contestants. It is conducted in August and is also a top-rated pageant for married women in India.”

Mascarenhas has awards like Groomer of the Year 2016, Icon of Pune 2017, Rashtriya Mahila Bhushan Award and Savvy Women Empowerment Award 2018 to her credit.

Taking us through her journey as a coach, she says, “I ran a boutique at MG Road in Pune for 17 years. I was into designing and grooming. Once I decided to participate in a pageant but realized that there are limited pageants for married women. In 2013, I went to the USA and did a two-week course in pageantry because I wanted to bring that concept here. When I came back, I participated in a couple of pageants myself to understand what is needed for married women to participate in a beauty contest. After that, I started traveling in India and abroad to train aspiring contestants.”

While she was training candidates, Mascarenhas also realized that Indian pageants for married women are not of international standards. “Being the national director for Mrs. Universe, for the first time, I sent Pune women to Mrs. Universe in 2017,” she says.
A national director with Queen of the World, Mrs. Icon World, explains the course module. “I teach women how to talk, give their introduction, walk on the ramp. I teach them about stage presence, what to do and what not to do on stage and how to handle the question answers. The bottom line is how to make a winning profile for themselves. I also do a lot of wardrobe analyses with them as to what type of clothes they should carry for pageants and so on,” she says.

DIVA pageant has courses of 10 days to a one-month duration. She adds that a lot of women from these pageants have now established themselves — many of them have become brand ambassadors and models while some have become groomers themselves.

Speaking about how much she loves her profession, she says, “This has been the most fulfilling job of my life. It helps in transforming lives and that is enriching. Also the blessings and love I have received over the years — nothing can measure up to that.”
For her, the passion for pageantry keeps her committed to this path. She adds that her husband has been her pillar of strength in her journey.