Born in London and raised in Kolkata, Anita Saha did not, in her wildest dreams, expect to represent Manchester and compete on the Miss England 2022 stage.
The 21-year-old went to Manchester to pursue her academics and decided to enroll in the Miss England competition. Since then, her life hasn’t been the same.
My Kolkata caught up with Anita on her recent trip to Kolkata to chat about the competition and more.
Getting out of the comfort zone
As a shy student, Anita wanted to challenge herself by enrolling in the competition. “Five years ago, I was a very shy person. So, I wanted an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone. I was born in the 2000s. Growing up, I saw Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, and others. I have always admired how strong and inspiring they are. They are confident and well-spoken. I always thought that I wanted to be like them but it felt like a far-fetched dream. So, I just tried to come out of my shell and tried to improve myself. That’s how I got interested in the Miss England competition.”
Anita submitted her application online and was selected for the heats. “I competed for Heat 1 and then I had to compete for Manchester Top 3. After that, I had to compete in the semi-finals from where I got selected for the final,” she said.
One girl, three cities
‘Although Kolkata and Manchester are two different worlds, both are equally culturally rich. People there are very friendly,’ Anita said Photos: Arijit Sen
Anita was born in London but shifted to Kolkata with her parents at the age of five. “I grew up in Kolkata. Every time I come back, it's like a warm fuzzy feeling of comfort and nostalgia. All my childhood friends, my family, everyone is here,” Anita said.
In 2019, Anita returned to the UK to pursue a BSc degree in bio-medical science at the University of Manchester.
“I don’t remember much of London because I was too young at that time but going back to the UK was a bittersweet experience for me. Manchester was a completely new city for me. I think I felt nostalgic because I was from the UK,” Anita said.
“Manchester, I would say, is culturally rich. Although Kolkata and Manchester are two different worlds, both are equally culturally rich. People there are very friendly,” she added.
Anita’s fondest memories of Kolkata include “winter mornings, sipping cha and having deep conversations with my didibhai (cousin), kakima, kaku and niece.”
A south Kolkata girl, Anita also misses Durga Puja. “Those five days, there would be no pressure, and the only concern was to get a good mangshor piece on Navami. I truly miss the carefree childhood days that I spent in Kolkata,” she said.
Both her parents are no more, but Anita keeps coming back to Kolkata to visit her aunts, uncles and cousins.
The pageant
The finalists of the pageant
Anita will be representing the city of Manchester as Miss Manchester in the pageant.
“For the application, I had to send photographs and profiles, including my occupation, hobbies, interest in the pageant. Many girls were shortlisted for the heats. There were about seven heats. From each heat, only three contestants were shortlisted for the semi-finals. Of them, only 16 were chosen as finalists,” Anita said.
There were several rounds leading up to the finals, which is the on-stage question-and-answer round.
The earlier rounds included a talent round, social media round (two makeup videos using beautiful brows products), fundraiser round, and WASUP queen, which is a round where contestants need to revamp an old piece of clothing to promote sustainability and slow fashion. There was also Cetuem cosmetics-Bare face Top Model to promote being confident in your own skin and Miss Beautiful Hair powered by Artero. My Paradise shoot is the Beach Beauty round that promotes body confidence. Lastly, the person with the most votes on the Miss England app also gets to the Top 12.
Prepping for the big day
Anita has been reading a lot and binge-watching Miss World and Miss England competitions and interviews as part of her preparation
Anita has been preparing for months, working on her self-confidence, posture and walk.
“I have been increasing my knowledge and getting different perspectives through podcasts, YouTube videos and self-help books. Have been working on my communication skills by undertaking a communication module at university and also going for Model United Nations. I have been mentored by Nikita Tanwani who taught me the technical aspects of pageants and modelling to give my preparation the touch of perfection,” she said.
Anita is also reading up a lot and binge-watching Miss World and Miss England competitions and interviews.
The finals will be held at the Holiday Inn Airport Hotel, Birmingham, on October 16-17.
Sneak peek
Anita hopes to take a slice of Bengal to the Miss England stage. For the talent round, she will stick to her roots and perform a classical dance piece on Durga as a tribute to womanhood.
“I would like to depict how every woman has Durga within her and that women embody strength and compassion,” Anita said.
In the My Paradise shoot, Anita has chosen to wear a relatively modest one-piece swimwear instead of a bikini “to represent all those women who do not get the freedom to make choices”.
“For the charity round, I am raising funds for the ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ charity for underprivileged children. I had previously conducted a virtual concert on Instagram with upcoming artistes in Kolkata. This time I am planning to do an art sale in collaboration. For the charity auction, as a gift, I am donating a handicraft work from Kolkata representing my cultural roots,” Anita said.
Anita will also wear a sari that was gifted to her by an aunt for one of the rounds. “I have revamped the sari for the competition,” she said.
Takeaways
‘My biggest challenge as an introvert was to come out of my shell. You are always in front of the camera, you are on stage, and you are speaking to so many different kinds of people. It has been a bit challenging for me, but I think I took it upon myself and that’s the fun of it,’ Anita said
Anita says she learnt a lot about myself and other contestants throughout the journey. “People come from different parts of the country. They bring so many stories with them. It was a learning experience for me.’’
“My biggest challenge as an introvert was to come out of my shell. You are always in front of the camera, you are on stage, and you are speaking to so many different kinds of people. It has been a bit challenging for me but I think I took it upon myself and that’s the fun of it,” said the Calcutta International School alumnus.
As for the outcome of the competition, Anita is optimistic. “You have to give it your best and you can’t always expect to win. What I have noticed is that there are so many inspiring girls, like someone I know has survived anorexia. To choose one Miss England from all of these women, I think it’s also very difficult for the judges. The biggest learning would be to give it your best and cherish the moments.”
What next?
Anita has her priorities lined up. ‘’Right now, my focus is to win the Miss England finals. If I am crowned Miss England 2022, I would want to make sure I fulfill my reign in the best way possible. It's not just a crown but a huge responsibility. You are representing an entire nation on the Miss World stage. I don’t want to leave any stones unturned for that. If not Miss England, then I will carry on with my master's course and perhaps try next year again.’’