Beauty is more than skin deep

The first Indian to bag the Miss World title, Dr. Reita Faria Powell, goes down memory lane with S. Anil Radhakrishnan.

THE CONSCIOUSNESS among Indian women that they are beautiful, the glamour and the prize money attached to a beauty title and the lure of success are what attract young girls from the nook and corner of the country to beauty pageants, Dr. Reita Faria Powell.

The first Indian to participate in the Miss World competition in 1966 and bag the title, Reita is on a tour of South India to promote the Indian Institute of Diabetes.

``Height makes a difference in international beauty tests. Indian women are taller now compared to my time. Moreover, the girls are now well-groomed, slick and professionals," she says.

Women no longer see beauty contests as a window to the world as in the 1960's and 70's. "No one watches the event in the West these days and this has forced the organisers to move the contest all over the world,'' says Reita, who had the privilege to participate in the 25th and 50th anniversary of the Miss World contest.

Reita, who hails from Matunga in Mumbai and had her school and college education in the island city, says that in her time, the Miss World contests were like Wimbledon, closely watched by families seated together in front of black and white television sets.

As a keen player of hockey and sports, Reita decided to participate in pageants for the fun of it. She went to Lyceum Hall, London, to participate in the Miss World contest in November 1966 after bagging the Miss Mumbai and Miss India titles during her final year MBBS at Grant College, Mumbai.

``All the three events took place in just three months. I had just three pounds sterling as foreign exchange. There was no question of a wardrobe. There was no preparation on how to speak, stand or wear a sari as at present. I even had to borrow a sari and a swimsuit from Persis Khambatta before going. Later I purchased a pair of shoes and a swimsuit.''

There were 66 contestants and the betting odds were 66 to one against India, she recalls. No one expected India to win the title and for Reita, it was just a holiday trip. "We were taken to places of interest for one week in London. And on November 17, it was a one-hour contest and there were 15 judges. The red sari with golden zari-work bagged the Best Evening Gown prize. She went on to beat Miss Yugoslavia and Miss Greece to the title.

Reita says she was stunned when she was crowned Miss World, but was perhaps the first girl not to cry on the stage. The country responded with excitement although she returned to Mumbai only after many months.

``The prize money then was only 2,500 pounds sterling. The title made me a person of the world. It was a short tenure of glamour and it gave the opportunity to travel. The title gave me confidence and independence. I was keen on studying medicine and I never wavered from that goal. The type of life I lead now, though it is in Ireland, is what I wanted. I have no regrets,'' says Reita.

After completing the contractual obligations of the title, she completed her medical studies from King's College Hospital Medical School, London. Reita married Dr. David Powell, who guided her at the school in 1971.

Instant contests should be held to ensure a level platform for all contestants, she feels. There is nothing wrong in the contestants seeing the title as a stepping stone to instant stardom. She herself had been offered a film by a Mumbai producer when she was just 17 and it was her mother who opposed her accepting it.

Settled in Dublin, Ireland since 1973, Reita busies herself by playing golf, painting and gardening and finding time to be with her grand-daughter, Maria Anna. ``I am delighted to be in this city to support the endeavor of setting up diabetes institute with the help of the Government and the erstwhile Travancore royal family,'' she smiles.

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