The Beauty Business - Beauty contests big in India - Brief Article

Business Asia, August, 2000

BEAUTY IS proving to be quite a business in India. A host of Indian beauty contest entrants have been successful in recent years in major world competitions -- and the latest is Miss India Lara Dutta, who was crowned Miss Universe 2000.

While the Miss Australia contest has been abandoned after protests by feminist activists, India continues to revere its beauty pageant contestants -- and they can be well rewarded.

But just how much?

At a recent press conference in India, reporters bluntly asked her: "How much money have you made?"

She answered with diplomacy, demonstrating one of the qualities that saw her win the Miss Universe title.

"Even I haven't seen the hard cash you're referring to," Dutta said. "What I've really gained following this honour is the number of opportunities that have opened up for me. I have a platform from which I can spread awareness about AIDS, juvenile AIDS and the dangers of HIV to such a huge population given the lack of enough awareness and precautions ..." And, she added: "I couldn't have achieved what I have without the blessing of our one billion people."

Dutta said she would continue to espouse the AIDS cause long after her one-year tenure as Miss Universe ended.

So why did she win?

"I probably won the crown because of communicating effectively," she said. "In the first few days of the contest, everybody was rooting for Miss Spain, because she was so beautiful but when it came to putting my thoughts across, I fared better. My last answer at the contest won me the crown."

Dutta, who wants to be a journalist and a documentary maker, said she opposed school-going youngsters aping beauty contests as "they might feel insecure competing with other youngsters and that feeling should not enter their mind so early".

Her pet social interests are women's empowerment, women's reproductive rights, gender equality, sex education and politics.

When asked if the Miss Universe crown had changed her in any way, she replied in the negative.

"I'm the same Lara. I grew up in a small town and at heart I will always be a small town girl ..."

For now, though, she has to put up with living in a three-bedroom apartment in Trump Tower, New York.

COUNTRY PROFILE -- THAILAND

PRIME MINISTER: Chuan Leekpai

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: Supachai Panichapakdi

CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR: Chatu Mongol Sonakul

GENERAL ELECTION: Last held on November 17, 1996

POLITICAL PARTIES:

Ruling coalition: Democrat Party; Chart Thai Party; 6 other partners

Opposition: New Aspiration Party; Chart Pattana Party

POPULATION (1998): 61.5 million

NOMINAL GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (1998): US$111.3 billion

NOMINAL GDP PER CAPITA (1998): US$1811.2

CURRENCY: Baht

EXCHANGE RATE (JUNE 2000): Baht/US$ 39.12

MAJOR EXPORTS:

Commodities: rice, tapioca, rubber, maize, and precious stones

Manufactured: textiles, canned food, and integrated circuits

MAJOR IMPORTS: Food and beverages, household appliances, chemicals, base metals, non-electrical machinery, electrical machinery, and fuel and lubricants

MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS: Japan, the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, and the European Union

SOURCE: BLOOMBERG