Silk in its elegant glory

Silk Mark Organisation of India, promoted by Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, conducted ‘Srimathi Silk Mark 2017’ the annual beauty pageant exclusively for married women, on March 9 at Ravindra Bharathi Auditorium.

The event was graced by Burra Venkatesham, IAS, Secretary to Tourism, Government of Telangana State as the Chief Guest, along with Deepika Reddy, eminent Kuchipudi exponent as the Guest of Honour.

Speaking on the occasion, Burra.Venkatesham, said that the focus of the pageant was to highlight tradition and culture of India. “This apart, we want to educate people on identifying authentic silk fabrics and encourage them to invest in quality products.”

The finalists were selected on the basis of ‘Awareness on silks’, communication and presentation skills and overall appearance in traditional pure silk sarees by panel of eminent judges.

Out of the 19 constantans, three were selected from all over India that included Second Runner-up Pallavi Joshi, First Runner-up Kaveri and the crown winner Anureet Kaur. They were given prizes and gift hampers sponsored by Manepally Jewellery and Sri Krishna Silks.

Crown winner Anureet Kaur shares her experience, “I am so happy to get this crown. I have already won three competitions earlier. Here, my experience was great. They select you by observing your walk style and speaking skills. I am also a model, so I managed to present my best.”

The event also had cultural programs like theme songs with dancers from different states showcasing their dance and the silk sarees of the region; and Bharata Natyam performance showcasing the importance of traditional silk weaving clusters, temples of Telangana state, enthralling the viewers by taking them through the Telangana silk route studded with culture and serenity.

Models showcased the Vanya Silk products from the states of North-East India, ‘Enchanting Eri’, ‘Tantalising Tasar’, Magnificent Munga for the first time in Hyderabad as a part of the event.