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.
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