KATHMANDU: When the soft-spoken and graceful Shristi Shrestha ascended the Miss Nepal throne on Sunday evening, she may have unknowingly ushered in a new era for the country’s hopes in the international arena. For here, is an internationally exposed and nationally renowned young lady who has had a first-hand experience of what it takes to knock their socks off.

Hitherto Miss Nepal saw a succession of bright and beautiful but nevertheless babes in the woods who took their first faltering steps into the limelight after winning the crown. On the other hand, the latest Miss Nepal can already brag of prestigious modeling assignments in London even before she signed up as a contestant for the pageant. For the last two years she has illuminated the celebrated Nepal Fashion Week as one of its brightest stars. The poise, the grace, the confidence, the sultry expressions, the expert moves, have already been perfected to an art.

Miss Nepal 2011 Malina Joshi crowns Shristi Shrestha Miss Nepal World 2012. (NARESH SHRESTHA)

For once Nepal has a real shot at making an impact on the Miss World stage with a candidate with the potential to outshine any of her competitors from the developed nations. After all, she’s already been there, done that. And with the hopes of an entire nation riding on her slender shoulders, she should definitely hold her elegant own against the international beauties.

Even during the training period, Shristi stood out from the crowd of raw, inexperienced girls. Her supermodel looks set her apart as did her polished charisma. When the finale of the contest unfolded, perhaps only the eventual first runner up Nagma Shrestha with her sparkling presence and the charmingly well-spoken Subekshya Khadka who went on to finish as second runner up had the skeptics guessing.

Shristi Shrestha shows off her professional moves during the Nepal Fashion Week 2011.

Having heard her cool confidence during her Fashion Week interviews, it came as quite a disappointment to see Shristi falter on the Miss Nepal stage and lapse into nervous pauses and rehearsed lines at times. Blame it on the pressure of the crown but from here the going gets even tougher. What she needs to do, is ditch the persona of yet another Miss Nepal going through the motions and tap into her original avatar of a worldly wise woman who knows exactly what she’s worth. And then perhaps the Miss World crown won’t seem so distant then.

- Jigme Palden Pazo