Ranchi
Puja Lakra received a huge welcome as she returned home from Raipur after clearing the first round of the Global Tribal Queen beauty pageant, held in Chhattisgarh recently.
Lakra was felicitated by Chhattisgarh Governor Anusuiya Uikey after she competed and won against 28 contestants — from India, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and South Sudan, among others — and walked the ramp wearing a mind-boggling 32 different types of tribal attire.
The tribal girl will represent India at the finals in New Delhi, with participants from 152 countries.
The tribal beauty was greeted by friends and well-wishers all the way from Birsa Munda Airport, via Birsa Chowk (where she garlanded the statue), to her village in Bero, on the outskirts of Ranchi.
Social outfits such as Kendriya Sarna Samiti, Rashtriya Adivasi Chhatra Sangh and Parha Raja Sarna Prarthana Sabha took out processions with tribal music and costumes.
Lakra was stopped at the Karam Chand Bhagat College gate in Bero for felicitations and then taken to the Sarna Sthal (place of tribal worship) to seek the blessings of Nature God. The youngster was touched as even at her home, hundreds poured in to get a glimpse.
Her father, Ashok, was visited at his official quarters in the nearby Khalari hamlet and congratulated by senior executives of Central Coalfields (CCL), where he works. The overwhelmed father only urged everyone to bless his daughter.
Ashok and his wife, Neelmani, were hockey players in their youth. Neelmani Lakra now works with Indian Railways in Ranchi. Their son, Amit, who was Puja’s partner in outdoor games when they were young, also works with CCL.
However, sports and studies aside, Puja Lakra’s aim was always the world of glamour. She was first runners-up at the Jharkhand Queen pageant and entered the finals of Super Model Style Icon and Miss Bollywood. She then learnt about the Global Tribal Queen through social media.
In the first round, Lakra gave smart answers to questions related to her culture, customs and traditions. “All the contestants are here to win the contest. But my real aim is to win hearts,” she said during a reply in the second round.
Having worked on her general knowledge and personality development, Lakra managed to do exactly what she had set out to do.
As for her future, this tribal beauty plans on setting up a business to become financially stable, do social work and finally, enter active politics!
