Single mother of two from Nagaland wins national-level beauty pageant

Pushpa Thatal has brought laurels to the state by being crowned the Mrs. Exclusive Classic Beauty 40 plus, which is a national-level beauty pageant for women above 40 years of age. The event was held on September 21 in New Delhi.

During a telephonic interview with Eastern Mirror, Thatal said that she was a living example of how anything can be possible no matter how old you are.

Thatal, born to a Changki mother and a Nepali father, lost her husband in 2018 and lives in Dimapur with her two children.

“There was no criteria in the pageant of whether one should not be a widow or divorcee; it was like a new journey for me which will still go on,” shared Thatal.

“People tag us with many things just because we are a widow or divorced or a single parent and wanted to prove to the world that it is not then end,” expressed Thatal and added that is difficult to prove a point by being only at home.

She believed that the pageant gave her the platform to expose her talents and individuality. “It is not just about physical beauty, it is about strength and following your dreams,” said Thatal.

One of the many challenges she faced during the contest was also the way other contestants presumed what Nagaland is like. “Many thought Nagaland to be a backward place and felt that Nagaland is not eligible to have contestants from here, but I am proud of myself for proving them wrong,” shared Thatal.

The mother of two runs a small school at Viola colony called Raindrops School and plans to expand further.

Thatal was thankful to Smart Life Gym that helped her during the preparation process for the talent and fitness rounds.

She will be representing the country in the International-level of the same pageant due to be held next year.

(Eastern Mirror Desk)