(Image source from: Zee News)
Haryana girl Nishtha Dudeja has made it certain that disability cannot come in the path of success by winning the Miss Deaf Asia 2018 title at an international pageant held in Prague recently.
Nishtha, who is the first Indian to have won any title at the Miss Deaf World Pageant, said on Monday that she faced tough competition from contestants from China, Thailand, Taiwan, Israel, Czech Republic, Belarus, Mexico, South Africa, and other countries at the 18th edition of Miss and Mister Deaf World -Europe -Asia Beauty Pageant 2018 held recently at Prague, Czech Republic.
The beauty from Haryana's industrial city of Panipat, around 85 km from New Delhi, who was born deaf did not get low-spirited of being differently-abled and chose to take her chance in the field of beauty.
"I want to thank my parents for their consistent support who were always there to help me. Now I want to help the deprived people even at the cost of my comfort. I believe that the differently abled people don't need pity. They only deserve equal opportunities to prove themselves," Nishtha, who has returned to India now, said.
The 23-year-old Panipat girl is a graduate in commerce from Venkateshwara College, Delhi University, and currently pursuing Master of Arts in economics from Mithibai College, University of Mumbai. Prior to this title, Nishtha had likewise won the Miss Deaf India title in Jaipur on February 26 this year.
She is the brand ambassador for Sivantos India Pvt Ltd. (Formerly Siemens hearing Instruments Pvt Ltd.), the world's leading brand of hearing aids, having about a 25 percent market share worldwide.
Nishtha was always a promising student from her school days, who was always keen on learning something new in life. Seeing her involvement in extra-curricular activities, her mother sent her to learn judo at the age of seven. Nishtha did judo for nearly five years, took part in various tournaments up to international level and won medals.
The beauty queen is as well a skilled tennis player and has played many AITA (All India Tennis Association), ITF (International Tennis Federation) and Asian tour tennis tournaments. Nishtha also took part in Deaflympics 2013 (held in Sofia, Bulgaria), World Deaf Tennis Championship 2015 (held in Nottingham, United Kingdom) and Deaflympics 2017 (held in Samsun, Turkey).
Father of Nishtha, Ved Prakash Dudeja, who is Chief Engineer in the Northern Railways gave the credit of his daughter's success to his wife who has worked arduously for Nishtha's success.
Nishtha's mother, Punam Dudeja, who is a homemaker, said: "We were heartbroken when we came to know that our child will not be able to hear lifelong but we did everything to make our daughter's life a successful one."
Another Haryana girl Manushi Chillar was crowned Miss World in November earlier this year.
-Sowmya Sangam
