New Miss Earth, Nicole Faria from India

MUMBAI: It's a first for India in the ten-year history of the Miss Earth beauty pageant. On Saturday, Pantaloons Femina Miss India (PFMI) Earth 2010 Nicole Faria was crowned Miss Earth at a sparkling ceremony in Vietnam. The 20-year-old from Bangalore had been tipped as a favourite even before she arrived. Nicole could barely contain her excitement. "I'm ecstatic!" she gushed. "It feels wonderful to have won from among 84 contestants, but more than that I will cherish the experience of having met some wonderful girls from a confluence of cultures. It was especially nice to have my parents and other familiar faces by my side during the time it was all unfolding." While the former student of Mount Carmel College, Bangalore — who won the PFMI Earth 2010 title on April 30 this year — walked away with the Miss Earth crown, Jennifer Stephanie Pazmino of Ecuador came in second, winning the Miss Air title. Miss Water went to Miss Thailand Watsoporn Wattanakoon while Miss Fire was won by Miss Puerto Rico Yeidy Bosques. Nicole wore a white gown with Swarovski crystals for the pageant. "I didn't try anything jazzy for the night — I kept it simple but elegant," she said. Adding modestly, "Anybody would have looked gorgeous in what I wore." The clincher came in the final round of questions where the judges asked Nicole what hour of day she preferred. Sunrise, she answered, given that she was young and keenly awaited the hope that each new morning brings. "Or something to that effect," she laughed. "I am so excited I can hardly remember the exact words." A hectic round of felicitations awaits her in Mumbai but it will be a week before she returns. "There is so much to do, interviews and ceremonies in Vietnam in the next few days," her parents said. Faria, who was a model before she won the Miss India title, holds the cause of environment close to her heart. Her profile lists her desire to help conserve fossil fuels and natural resources. "Once I get back to Bangalore next week, I want to start a campaign for the cycle rickshaw," she said. "It not only creates jobs for the jobless, but will cut down pollution. I want to do my bit for global warming. Bangalore has lovely weather and it pains me to see air conditioners being used in cars and at homes." Understandably, the modelling fraternity in Bangalore is thrilled. "I am over the moon," said Prasad Bidappa. "It was I who introduced Nicole to fashion when she was 13. She is my daughter's close friend." Bidappa recalls Nicole as a very focused model, who had participated in all his major shows and had walked the ramp for all the fashion weeks in Delhi and Mumbai.

Indo-French connection goes nuclear

NEW DELHI: Is nuclear the way to India's heart? For both France and India, it's fast becoming a natural tie, if you heard French president Nicolas Sarkozy in Bangalore on Saturday. With India getting the all-clear for global nuclear commerce, Sarkozy wants to leverage France's civilian nuclear expertise to marry economic and strategic relations with India. "Nuclear energy will now be the focus of our cooperation. We all know how critical it is for India to ensure its energy security," Sarkozy said in Bangalore.

France became the second country after the US to support India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). In Vienna, the US has already approached the NSG committees to push India's membership. Although this will be formally taken up during the NSG plenary in 2011, getting more hands for India will make the process easier. India itself should be doing advocacy for itself in the NSG outreach group in preparation for the plenary. But the Indian government has twice postponed meetings with NSG officials, which means this will now be addressed in 2011.

For this new engagement to get teeth, France and India will need to come to some sort of understanding on India's liability law which, despite a lot of polite talk from the French side, is emerging to be an obstacle.

In an interview recently, the chief of Areva, Anne Lauvergeon, said France would only decide how much of a problem the law would be after the implementation rules are drafted. The government is expected to put out the rules by the end of the year — 90 days after the bill became law. Given Sarkozy's emphasis, this issue is bound to dominate discussions with the PM on Monday, but equally, Manmohan Singh's current difficulties might make any forward looking decision difficult.

At Isro, Bangalore, on Saturday, Sarkozy spent 25 minutes to set out the new terms of engagement — science, space, nuclear, technology. "France, the US, Russia and the UK have already signed agreements with India. Others will join them soon," Sarkozy said.

"That's why it makes sense for India to now participate fully in the work of the multilateral bodies responsible for drafting and ensuring compliance with the non-proliferation regime, starting with the Nuclear Suppliers Group. France supports India's candidacy to join these groups," he added. It will be India's membership to groups like the Wassenaar and Australia Group that will make it easier for this new economic relationship to bear fruit because it will enable trade in dual-use technologies that India keenly desires.