Meet Beauty Queen Dichenla Thungon, daughter of two Northeast States
ITANAGAR/GANGTOK | Jan 05, 2020:
A perfect example of national and regional integration, beauty queen Dichenla Wangmo Thungon, the reigning Miss NEFA Arunachal proved that one need not limit one's dreams to a particular place to achieve their goals but to expand the horizon and build a bridge connecting two communities.
TNT-The Northeast Today spoke exclusively to Thungon on her journey and her achievement; her views and opinions on national integration through fashion.
WHO IS DICHENLA WANGMO THUNGON?
Dichenla is a simple girl with a mixed parentage; her father is from Arunachal Pradesh and mother from Sikkim. Having studied and lived all her life in Sikkim, she was hesitant to take part in the Miss Arunachal Beauty pageant which was a completely a new domain for her. But with ample support from her mother, brother and sister, she not just shone in the competition but also won the contest. "I was so happy that people accepted me with open arms, I was the clear favourite," she says.
She was born on 27th March 1996 in New Delhi as her mother Usha Lama was posted in Delhi being a bureaucrat from Government of Sikkim. "I have spent my entire childhood from kinder garden days till secondary education in Sikkim . Hence I have the privilege to proudly proclaim that I am the daughter of both these states," she says proudly.
Dichenla Wangmo Thungon, who hails from Shergoan, West Kameng district in Arunachal Pradesh, is the youngest of the siblings; she is one of the celebrated Beauty Queens of Arunachal Pradesh. She was crowned Miss NEFA Arunachal Pradesh 2018, while being flanked by all her siblings, relatives and friends.
Several times she has been interviewed by the digital media portals which always was an instant hit. She has delivered inspirational and motivational speech in several schools and radio station. She has been invited to judge beauty pageants in Northeastern states.
Modelling is not the only area that she shines, but acting as well. Her debut music video, titled "Nam Ngo Kanan" directed by Jack Tanya Budh, is expected to be released soon . She aspires to be a versatile actor.
HER HOBBIES/PROFESSION
Since childhood, she has been an athlete and a nature lover. She relaxes while playing the guitar and humming songs. She loves driving and her mother quotes "Dichenla has total control over the wheels". She likes reading inspirational and motivational book and one day wishes to pen down her own experiences.
Apart from the above, she is by profession a fashion designer and she claims that she would want to bring about a change by combining the dying Handloom Industry with the uprising Power loom Industry without distorting the North-eastern indigenous textile, the color-play and its motifs; thus uplifting and securing the handloom industry and maintaining their age-old traditional textile and designs. And thus Dichenla quotes "I choose to be the part of this change and bring about a Northeastern brand of its own."
HER EDUCATION/ACHIEVEMENTS
Her first school as a toddler was at Tiny Pearls, Gangtok and later Tashi Namgyal Academy popularly known as TNA founded in 1926 by the Late Sir Tashi Namgyal, the 11th consecrated king of Sikkim. Having represented Sikkim in many National level competitions she has won many gold medals and accolades in other sports.
Her tryst with beauty was when she was crowed Miss Fresher 2015 at her college in Mumbai. "Being in the fashion industry in Mumbai, the city of dreams, I could diversify my area of interests," she added. There on, she started modelling for her senior which inspired her to take modeling as a career. She graduated from NIFT as a Textile/Fashion Designer in July 2019.
Later, she joined Alisia Raut of Cocoaberry Academy/Agency in 2019 to learn more about fashion. Later, she was also crowned "The Miss Ramp Walk 2019". Followed by being one of the finalists of Campus Princess 2019, West Zone, Mumbai. Maharastra. She has been in the cover page magazines of northeast states like Sikkim and Nagaland.
TETE-E-TETE WITH DICHENLA
Q. Why did you choose modelling ?
Since childhood I have been the tallest amongst my siblings. Furthermore I grew up watching TV shows like ANTM, got inspired to practice my walk, my posing and trying new looks. Recently, I have done shoots with renowned photographers and have walked on runways for designers. It is interesting, rewarding and a dynamic career that I am a part of.
Q. How was your experience in Miss NEFA Arunchal ?
It was amazing. I do not know how else to explain it besides it was a dream come true.
My journey started since the time I filled the form for the pageant. Met all the other beautiful contestants across the state. I got to learn and grow from within during the grooming sessions. As the days passed by, the graph of excitement for the finale was escalating. I can vividly relive the entire event of the finale as I close my eyes. My family and friends in the audience cheering for me, accelerating my confidence was the epitome of the event. The very moment when my name was announced after the suspense created by the host, the entire auditorium screaming my contestant number 22 was utterly amazing. It was the experience of my life time.
Q. What are the qualities one require to shine in such pageants ?
The quality to shine per se is that everywhere one should be confident in oneself. A confident person makes the point a lot stronger but we need to check on our over-confidence. Your own unique personality, over all discipline, positive outlook, compassionate, entertaining, humble and polite.
Q. How do you see your self in next five years ?
That's a lot to promise to myself for now. Every night when I'm in bed, before sleeping, I promise to see myself doing my daily early morning chores like waking up early at 5:30 am ,drinking a glass of luke warm water, followed by my workout and to be focused for the next 18 hours of the day of drinking water, finishing "my to-do list" and staying away from things I think I want but not actually need. I see myself as healthy. I like travelling to new places regarding work,walking on runways, displaying beautiful creations of the designers and being engulfed to all the rich traditions and culture.
"Amalgamation of the knowledge and having my own designer label someday", she said.
