Miss Canada Universe 2002 Neelam Verma

Forget the stereotype about beauty pageants where winning was only about great dresses, pearly white teeth, endless smiles and skimpy swimsuits. The new pageants encompasses intelligence, ambition, and desire -coupled with a keen sense for business, these pageants are providing young talented women with the opportunity to use it as a platform to showcase their strengths, their commitment to social issues, and their ability to be role models for future generations.

Neelam Verma is one such candidate who demonstrates the new breed of pageant winners. Crowned Miss India Canada 2001, Neelam has illustrated one of the many successes of upcoming South Asian females in the community. Winning Miss India Canada 2001 was a pre-cursor for what was to come. In late August of this year, Neelam was crowned Miss Canada Universe, catapulting her to even new heights and providing her with an opportunity to become the first South Asian female to represent Canada in the Miss Universe Pageant. The Miss Universe Pageant plays host to more than 80 female representatives from around the world, and boasts a viewership of 2.4 billion people. Past winners have included Sushmita Sen and Laura Dutta-both South Asian.

After completing her honours BBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University, Neelam entered the corporate world working for international companies such as Ernst & Young and Proctor & Gamble. Demonstrating her skills as a successful Account Manager for Cover Girl Cosmetics, Neelam decided to leave the corporate world and take the opportunity to nurture her personal growth by travelling. Her journeys have taken her to the Pyramids of Giza, to the deserts of India, the jungles of Thailand and to Mount Fuji in Japan. Gaining a wealth of experience in her travels has strengthened her commitment to continued developmental work and to bringing awareness to social issues.

Winning both titles has provided Neelam the opportunity to participate in extraordinary events and actives. One such event will allow Neelam to be the first South Asian Female Ambassador from Canada to India. Being part of Team Canada, a cultural and business relations blitz to India headed by Peter Sutherland, is just one of the many opportunities provided to Neelam which will allow her to become a role model for South Asian women around the world. In addition to Team Canada, Neelam is also actively involved with the Indo-Canadian Chamber or Commerce and the Association of Indian Women-an organization dedicated to promote education, basic computer literacy and support for South Asian women new to Canada.

One of Neelam's desires is to work with and empower other South Asian females in ability for them to reach the maximum potential possible through motivation and education. For example, Neelam believes that one of the biggest issues affecting South Asian Youth, particularly among girls, is an identity crisis. To help combat this, her desire is to provide self-esteem workshops and seminars, which will allow young girls to nurture and grow their sense of self worth.

Asked where Neelam draws her own sense of self worth, her confidence, and what keeps her grounded, Neelam points out her admiration for her father. Her father was an example of what one can achieve thorough hard work, dreaming big, and taking risks. Coming from a poor village in India, her father has demonstrated these traits in his life, allowing Neelam draw from his strength and to share it with others.

Where does Neelam hope to be in the future once all the excitement of being Crowned Miss India Canada and Miss Canadian Universe dies down? Settling down in a marriage with kids is of course one her goals, but for her, her excitement won't be ending anytime soon. Neelam hopes to enter international media where she can influence and affect lives in a strong positive way, while at the same time being involved with developmental work that will have a direct impact on the lives of people. If her past is any indication of what the future holds, it will be sure to be filled with many more achievements and accomplishments.