“Indian Australian Woman Empowerment via Training”
The original Miss India Australia – (MissIndia.com.au) was founded 23 years ago (2001) by photographer/actor/media/film producer and educator, Raj Suri.
Miss India Australia is the first ever-national talent search in Australia for women of Indian origin. Affiliated to the Miss India Worldwide IFC organisation in New York, USA, established 42 years ago.
Miss India Australia Talent Search gives a visible Indian Australian representation on a world platform – comprising of 25 – 40 countries at the Worldwide Event.
The Miss India Australia Talent Search winner not only gets media exposure and overseas travel but training in self development, image building, photo posing, talent grooming and audition/screen tests. The audition process is based on talent and personality conducted personally by talent mentor, media producer, Raj Suri.
Miss India Australia has had widespread coverage in the Australian and Indian media including Sydney Morning Herald, WAToday (Fairfax group), SBS TV, Times of India, Tribune, Hindustan Times, DNA, Femina magazine, Asian Age.
Australian national channel SBS TV featured the making of 2006 Quest – a documentary “The Pageant”broadcasted on national Australian TV at least twice since November 2007
Some of the celebrities who have attended the Talent Search include: Hollywood cinematographer Peter Menzies Jr. ( Miss Congeniality 2 fame), Bollywood actor/producer Sanjay Suri, Indian TV star Shweta Kawatra, legendary West Indian cricketer Michael Holding and Ex Premier of NSW, Neville Wran, Exodus foundation’s Bill Cruze to name a few.
Raj Suri Miss India Australia platform has been the base for Australian talent to the fastest growing entertainment industries in the world – Bollywood & beyond – Australians, as past winners of Raj Suri Miss India Australia Talent Search are now pursuing a full fledged film careers as lead actors in India. Former Miss India Australia winners, Vimala Raman (Miss India Australia 2004) and Pallavi Sharda (Miss India Australia 2010), are now well known names in the film industry in India. Vimala Raman, since 2004, has featured, as a lead, in over 30 feature films in India. In 2012, Miss India Australia 2010, Pallavi Sharda was appointed as one of the official ambassadors of Australian Festival in India. On October 2, 2013, Pallavi’s blockbuster Bollywood film, Besharam, released worldwide, including Australia, as lead with Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor. Pallavi is the ONLY young Indian Australian who has featured in both ABC TV Q and A and Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes programs in Australia. The credit of all this goes to the calibre of Pallavi’s talent and sheer persistence. Like Pallavi and Vimala now there are other young Australian women who can get inspired by their roles models who have come from within Australia.
The 2011 winner, Ankita Ghazan, had an appearance role in the Bollywood film Heroine in 2012, along with the A list Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor.
Sharon Johal, Miss India Australia 2004 Photogenic, is well known for her roles on Australian TV
For over a decade, founder and talent mentor, Raj Suri, personally grooms and prepares Australian talent to represent overseas after an extensive audition process in Australia providing talent mentorship programs and practical workshops. Once selected, Raj and his branding agency, Karigar Australia, provides and facilitates along with associate office in Bollywood and networks in Australia.
Swetha Raj, Miss India Australia winner 2014 was sent go Seoul, South Korea in December 2014 to represent as Miss India at the Miss Asia Pacific Super talent 2014. Swetha Raj won the title and is the first woman from Australia of Indian heritage to have won the international contest in South Korea.
Nebidita Pal, from Brisbane, Miss India Austrlia winner 2015, mentored by Raj Suri for Bollywood has completed MTV India series Splitvilla and now works as an influencer in Mumbai, India.
Sukhmani Khaira, Miss India Australia 2016 represented Australia in USA in 2016.
Zenia Starr, Miss India Australia 2013, has completed 2 indie Bollywood films – My Birthday Song and Prtichayya . As well in international production Hotel Mumbai – in 2018.
Miss India Australia 2017 winner, Aarzu Singh, represented Australia in USA in 2017. Aarzu also co-hosted the annual Commonwealth Diwali Dinner with mentor Raj Suri in 2018.
Miss India Australia 2018 Winner, Sakshi Singh, short film Long Distance, is selected for the prestigious Melbourne International Film Festival 2019. Sakshi is also attending the opening of the Melbourne Indian Film Festival 2019.
More information and videos are available on request.
So why a Miss India Australia ?
” Well, Miss India Australia was founded much before the digital social media times, when print and free to air and radio was the only media available. And, we had no home grown, Indian Australian role models visible in the Australian media. As a first generation Indian in Australia and a professional photographer/film person, I felt there was a cultural gap. Not every brown woman in Australia follows Bollywood celebrities in India. There are many brought up in Australia who have immense talents to become leaders and role models for gen next Indian Australian women in Australia.
The global climate that we live in today has diminished the cultural boundaries and stereotypes. Because of these diminished boundaries, Australian women of Indian heritage growing up in Australia are more eager to learn about and embrace their Indian roots. This dual identity has given rise to the global, culturally refined, example: an Australian woman who not only participates in a modern fusion dance in Australia but is equally adept at performing an Indian classical dance. Or a corporate professional, a doctor, lawyer and mothers. This new Australian woman signifies a new age cross over culture… proud of her adopted culture, fused with the culture of her heritage, India.
Why Miss India Australia?
The global climate that we live in today has diminished the cultural boundaries and stereotypes. Because of these diminished boundaries, Australian women of Indian heritage growing up in Australia are more eager to learn about and embrace their Indian roots. This dual identity has given rise to the global, culturally refined, example: an Australian woman who not only participates in a modern fusion dance in Australia but is equally adept at performing an Indian classical dance. Or a corporate professional, a doctor, lawyer and mothers. This new Australian woman signifies a new age cross over culture… proud of her adopted culture, fused with the culture of her heritage, India.
As modern Australia evolves there is growing awareness of other cultures amongst Australians – which creates an atmosphere of openness and great flow of ideas. Miss India Australia embraces the best of Australian and Indian culture presenting a unique opportunity for Australian women to engage with and celebrate rich heritage with contemporary Australian identity. The aim is to to instill confidence and self belief  through education and training – industry auditions, combined with self image workshops, in young Australian women of Indian backgrounds. Thereby giving a voice to this unique identity, creating leaders and positively contribute to modern Australia.”
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