Mumbai-based Keralaite wins Miss India title

Mumbai, Apr 6 (UNI) Parvathy Omanakuttan, a 20 year-old English Literature graduate from Mithibhai College, Mumbai, won the coveted title of ''Pantaloons Femina Miss India World'' (PFMI) 2008 at a glittering finals here.

''I am the first Malayali to win the contest,'' said the cool and collected beauty, a native from Kotayam of Kerala.

Dressed in a sari designed by Ritu Kumar and flanked by first runner-up local favourite 22-year-old Simran Kaur Mundi, a bio-tech graduate from suburbs and second runner-up 20-year-old Harshita Saxena from Goa, who had put her studies at Canada on hold to participate, dazzled the audience and the judges with beauty, poise and charm.

To win the crown from the other equally beautiful finalists yesterday, Parvathy, who already had the PFMI South title under her belt, combined her beauty with brains on being asked whether the rise in divorce rate in India was a result of Western influence. ''A spouse is not someone who completes you, but shares your completeness'' was Parvathy's winning reply that impressed the judges including ex-Miss India and Bollywood beauty Zeenat Aman, designer J J Vallaya and Rina Dhaka, actresses Tabu and Katrina Kaif and news presenter Arnab Goswami to clinched the title.

First runner-up ''Miss India Universe'' Simran's answer to the question was counseling and education could help the marriage of young couples. Second runner-up ''Miss India Earth'' Harshit's reply was, that one needed to be strong and responsible in order to make an ideal marriage partner.

All three will represent the country in international pageants during the year.

UNI ZC GR GL HT1338