(Seated from left) Anu Ratha Mani, Santhya, G. Salina, A. Mageswari, M. Premila, V. Tryambikay, Ishvar Kaur and S. Surikala. (Standing from left) Sharangeet Kaur, Amreet Kaur, J.M. Manisha, R. Nithya, M. Suhantini, G. Vaneeta, R. Shalini and X. Priscillia.

MISS MalaysiaIndian Global (MMIGLOBAL) is back for its grand finals with 16 girls vying for the coveted crown. The girls, who are of Indian or part Indian descent, will compete to become the 10th queen of the annual scholarship-driven pageant on Oct 9 at the Royale Chulan Hotel.

Ranging from 20 to 27 years of age, the finalists – Amreet Kaur, Anu Ratha Mani, Ishvar Kaur Godrei, Mageswari Anandan, Manisha Jagan Mogan, Nithya Rajagopal, Premila Manohara, Priscilla Xavier, Suriakala Sivalingam, Shalini Ramakrishnan, Sharangeet Kaur, Santhiya Sreetharan, Suhanthini Mahalingam, Shalina Abdul Gaffor, Tryambikai Vengades and Vaneetha Darshini Gunasegaram – hail from Johor, Kedah, Perak, Pahang, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.

They were shortlisted from 201 entries, through a series of elimination programmes including a 5km Haze Run sanctioned by the Selangor Amateur Athletics Association, a short Haze documentary contest and Universiti Sains Malaysia facilitated environment awareness workshop.

MMIGLOBAL was developed in 2000 as a social empowerment programme which aims to lead aspiring young girls into womanhood through a series of personal and professional development programmes.

It is supported by renowned organisations and individuals such as medical consultant Dr Premitha Damodaran, image consultant Puan Sri Ampikaipakan, former model turned DJ Datuk Yasmin Yusuf, self-empowerment guru Datuk Bridget Menezes, theatre director Sabera Shaikh, former Miss Malaysia/Asia Pacific (1984) Betty Anne and award-winning dancer Guna.

Organised by Miss MalaysiaIndia Care Association, the pageant is part of an extensive pioneering self-development project, unique in both its approach and dynamism. The broad based scholarship-driven programme filters into schools, colleges and universities and seeks to empower the minds and spirits of girls in areas of healthcare, social, cultural and professional integration.

The MMIGLOBAL is supported by the Royale Chulan Hotel, Pulai Springs Resort, Berjaya University College of Hospitality and Tourism and Astro. Invitations to the pageant are by donation of RM200 each (corporate tables are RM3,500 each).

For more details visit www.missmalaysiaindianglobal.com or call 012-3795735.