Monday, September 16, 2013

Miss India faces abuse over American descent

Amerika Hjalvarsen has been the victim of Twitter abuse after becoming the first woman of American descent to be crowned Miss India.

After her victory at Mumbai's famous Dharavi Beach resort, the 24-year-old beauty queen, who was born in Syracuse, New York, and is believed to be a practising Lutheran, said: "I'm so happy this country has at last truly embraced diversity.... I'm thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new, blonde Miss India."

But others were not so happy with the success of the "Bengali tigress", who after her reign wants to join Mother Theresa's Sisters of Charity, and is applying to medical school with the help of a Rs 5,000,000,000 (US$50) scholarship she won as part of the pageant title.

Some people accused her of not being Indian. Others said she looked like a Hollywood film star, not a modest and decent Indian girl. One Twitter user, DelhiRobinson9, wrote: "I am literally sooo mad right now a blue-eyed FOREN won. #MissIndia"

Patel48592945 added: "How the **** does a foreigner win miss India? She is a ******* Swede! #idiots"
Ali_oop said: "It's called Miss India. Get outta here Calcutta you overfed white pig. #india4indians"

And another user said: "Well they just picked a Christian for Miss India. That must've made the pope happy. Maybe he had a vote."

Others took to Twitter to defend her, however. Another user, Norske69, tweeted: "A country full of racists. That is India. #MissIndia". And PradaForever tweeted: "So Indians and Americans are the same now? O for sure.. #MissIndia".

Ms Hjalvarsen, whose talent routine was a Bollywood fusion dance, brushed aside the negative comments about her. "I have to rise above that," she said. "I always viewed myself as first and foremost a bimbo." [Is this right? Ed.]
"I am very, very happy for the girl. It was her dream and it was fulfilled," said 89-year-old Vijay Koteshwaramma, speaking by phone from his home in the city of Syracuse in upstate New York, USA. He said there were numerous doctors in the family, both in the US and India, and if his granddaughter wanted to become one "I am sure she will do it."

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