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Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Young Edge: As contestant withdraws from Miss World 2025, Pune youths say pageants must evolve, promote more respect
Written by Ashutosh Sahoo Days ahead of the grand finale of Miss World 2025, scheduled to take place in Hyderabad on May 31, Saturday, the reigning Miss England announced her withdrawal from the pageant, alleging moral conflicts, exploitation, and claiming that she was made to feel objectified. The Miss World organisation has denied all the allegations and stated that they plan to sue her for defamation. Even as Miss England Milla Magee is the first titleholder to walk out of the competition in its 74-year-old history, the move has sparked a conversation around the relevance of such pageants. Neha Gaikwad, 24, a graduate preparing to move to the US for her Master's degree, said she always admired the grace, intelligence, and sense of purpose that pageants promoted. 'Being crowned Miss India or Miss World has been a dream,' she said. Though the recent news surprised her, she admitted that it wasn't entirely shocking. 'I have often heard murmurs about such issues within the industry,' the Pune-based Gaikwad noted, adding that pageants could still be powerful platforms, if conducted ethically. 'They can be powerful vehicles for change,' she stated, while advocating for more diversity, mental health support, and transparency in the process, saying that it must evolve to remain relevant and inclusive. Ketaki Patil, 22, a student of Savitribai Phule Pune University, recalled that she used to admire Indian winners of international pageants as a child but became disenchanted over time. She expressed scepticism about the pageant world, stating, 'No matter how big or small these industries and their circles are, the women have no real voice of their own.' She opined how women are expected to constantly appear 'well dressed and presentable', often without fair compensation. 'I've heard a lot of models don't even get paid, they just get vouchers of luxury hotels and stuff.' She felt that if pageants genuinely celebrated beauty in all forms, 'the participants wouldn't have to wear gowns and learn proper dining etiquette.' To her, these contests are more regressive than feminist now. A 22-year-old MBA student from Pune commended Miss England for being bold and outspoken. She compared it to the pressure women face to prove their worth beyond appearance. 'When contestants are expected to wear full makeup and ball gowns at breakfast,' she said, 'it's hard not to see a contradiction in the 'beauty with a purpose' mission.' Poonam Tamhane, 24, an architect based in Pune, shared a nuanced perspective. While she appreciated the confidence such platforms can give, she also recognised the heavy societal expectations placed on women. 'There is always a layer of pressure and public judgment,' she said. Although she sees value in the visibility pageants offer, Tamhane believes that 'real space and real identity, come from what you bring to the table, not just from a crown.' She called for a structural revamp, urging pageants to reflect today's complex identities and move beyond outdated stereotypes. Another student, 19, from IISER Pune, shared how she felt these events created unrealistic standards for women. She said, 'They do come across overtly as an alternative voice or credible career stage for a lot of young women, and then often put them through some very regressive practices, in the name of a world-renowned competition…perpetuating such standards which again play into the hand of patriarchy, and cutting off any critical thinking for these young people.' A 21-year-old student and model from Pune, who has been part of the pageant circuit from a young age, admitted that while she once aspired to win titles like Miss World or Miss India, now she feels 'extremely perplexed about the authenticity of beauty pageants.' Referring to distasteful incidents in the industry, she added, 'Whoever is associated with the glamour industry, especially modelling, has to encounter such incidents often. Participants should be able to fulfil their dreams with dignity and respect,' she added. (The writer is an intern with The Indian Express)
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Mock drills offer lessons in preparedness, reassure participants
Written by Ashutosh Sahoo, Shayli Singkh, As sirens blared and emergency teams scrambled into municipal corporation buildings in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Vanaz industrial estate on Wednesday as part of the nationwide Operation Abhyas, the mock drills offered participating agencies lessons in preparedness and for some, it came as a moment of reassurance and wake-up call for others. In Pune district, the mock drills were conducted at the Council Hall of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), where urban scenarios were simulated. At Mulshi Panchayat Samiti, mock drills were simulated for a rural setting. At Talegaon Municipal Council, drills were held for a semi-urban environment and in Vanaz Industrial Estate, for an industrial setting. 'This is the first mock drill I witnessed in my tenure at PMC and it really opened my eyes to the seriousness of our national security,' said Riya Shah, 37, a PMC employee. 'Watching the emergency services work together so efficiently made me feel proud, but also a bit anxious,' she said. At the PMC headquarters, where over 3,500 people were present, drill preparations began around 2 pm and the actual drill, at 4 pm. It involved a coordinated response to a simulated blast. 'As soon as the mock incident took place, NDRF, Fire Department and Police were alerted at the same time. The teams reached immediately and rescued five injured people, transferring them to the hospital.' Rakesh Vitaker, PMC's Security Officer. 'Today's mock drill enhanced inter-agency coordination and provided real-life exposure to managing such kinds of unusual emergencies. It reinforced the importance of quick decision-making under pressure and boosted confidence for real incident readiness.' said Devendra Potphode, chief fire officer for PMC and PMRDA. A parallel drill unfolded at the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation building, simulating a massive explosion followed by clouds of smoke. Over 5,000 occupants, including employees and visitors, were evacuated within minutes. 'The simulated blast resulted in 10 staged casualties, which were promptly attended to and the mock victims taken to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital,' said a PCMC official. Within 15 minutes, fire brigades, police, ambulances, and disaster management teams brought the situation under control—demonstrating near-flawless coordination. 'These drills are just the beginning of a wider effort to strengthen the capabilities of institutions to respond in such scenarios,' said an NDRF official who was part of the exercise at PMC. Anjali Patil, a 52-year-old school teacher, was among those who were impressed. 'It was both fascinating and reassuring. The way the teams simulated a crisis showed just how prepared our authorities are.' Beyond the simulations, the drill served as a public education effort. Teams disseminated information on guidance in responding to sirens, finding shelter, preparing emergency kits, and avoiding panic. 'While we may feel safe in our daily routines, there are always risks around us,' said Rajesh Deshmukh, 43-year-old PMC staffer. 'This experience was a wake-up call.' he added. At Vanaz Industrial Estate, volunteers and other emergency response teams coordinated to undertake an evacuation of a demarcated area. Krishna Pawar, a volunteer from Garware College, directed people to lay down motionless on the floor alongside other 'injured' participants.'We were briefed to act dead and the ambulance would come to take us. This is part of our training, and it feels quite intense when you're actually in it.' Among the observers were students from the Pharmacy College of Poona. 'This is my first brush with a war-like situation. It's scary but I'm glad the authorities are taking such steps,' said Akash Purole.
