‘Miss Kerala Special 2019’ grand finale was all about style, glamour & confidence

‘Miss Kerala Special 2019’ finale was held at Thrissur and parents of all the contestants were overwhelmed with the way each of them performed. The event that was organised by JCI Thrissur was a huge success, and the organisers say that they are planning to host more such events along with holding other activities for youngsters with disabilities.

Last Saturday was special for over 23 young girls with intellectual disabilities from across Kerala. All of them put up a spectacular performance at the Miss Kerala Special 2019 event, first-of-its-kind in India that was held on 21 September. The fashion event was a platform for young girls with intellectual disabilities to come together and showcase their talents and skills. The event received a lot of applause from judges and audience.

The event was as organised by the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Thrissur and auditions were held in many cities including Kochi, Thrissur, Trivandrum and Kozhikode. The grand finale held at Lulu Convention Centre was quite breathtaking with contestants putting up their best performances.

The winner was Ann Siby while Anjaly Sabu and Rosmy were first and second runners up.

Dimpal Bhal, a popular fashion groomers and psychologist, said she loved training the girls.

They walked the ramp confidently without making a single mistake on stage. In fact, as groomers, we knew that they would do it remarkably well because we have been seeing how they perform during the grooming sessions over last few days. Even though we got very less time to practice, they did their best. The audience was astonished to see these young girls do so well. – Dimpal Bhal, Psychologist-Fashion Groomer.

The contestants were between 18 to 25 years from across different parts of Kerala. JCI had tied up with NGOs and schools for youngsters with disabilities for the event. They got an overwhelming response and that is what encouraged them to hold the event.

Joyari Diamonds, Malayala Manorama, Josco Jewellers, Pulimoottil Silks, Aster Medicity, Manappuram Foundation, Jyothi Laboratories and Kanate Originals were some of the big names associated with the event. The JCI will also bear the medical expenses for over 700 youngsters with disabilities with the help of sponsors. “All our sponsors have agreed wholeheartedly to help us. We are in talks with schools too. They are more than thrilled to become part of this initiative”, said Varghese Paul, President, JCI Thrissur.

The organisers and parents of all the contestants believe that participating in a platform like ‘Miss Kerala Special 2019’ will open doors of opportunities for these youngsters apart from gaining confidence.

“I have hosted many shows but this was truly special”, said Ranjini Haridas, the host. “The whole place was filled with pure innocent energy that is rare to come by these days. I was super emotional at times, especially when I saw them follow the choreography and do an awesome job at it”.

Also Read: ‘Ad-Dress Now’ unveils adaptive clothing in some really cool designs

Watch in Sign Language