It may only be one, going-on-two, but the success of the Miss India UK pageant has already established Vanita Panchal as the entrepreneur with brains. Panchal, a rare winner of the Queen's Award for Achievement, established Talk of the Town Media Ltd, a prestigious event and art management competition, that floated the contest last year. "I like the ethos behind the contest because it is for the woman who has more than just a pretty face." She is probably looking into a mirror while saying that.

Perfect Gait

How did a studious Amrita Persaud end up participating in a beauty parade? Because the emphasis in the Miss India New York pageant is on talent and promotion of Indian culture, that's why. No wonder the 20-year-old premedical student of New York University won the title pipping to the post 16 fellow participants at the 21st edition of the contest. Incidentally, Persaud, who is of Indo-Caribbean origin, is interested in humanitarian service. She seems to have got her bearings just right. After all, every beauty queen worth her crown has to have a "purpose" beyond the materialistic in life. Since her prize fetched her, inter alia, a return ticket to India, perhaps Persaud could get more handy tips from Mesdames Sen, Rai, Hayden, Mookhey, Chopra...

Taste of India

For all their patriotism, roti-rolling and sari-tying competitions are never likely to be a hit with the citizens of India. So when there are throngs of young and old alike making a beeline for such duel stalls, you can safely presume that they have been transplanted to another land. That's exactly what happened at this year's Croydon Mela: colourful bands playing bhangra music, kites of varied hues flecking the sky, games of cricket ... Llyod Park on Coombe Road came alive with Indian colours. Young girls dressed in flowing lehangas flocked to henna stalls while the more adventurous ones went for bumper rides. Asians danced to Bollywood beats in the park's community hall. Five lucky mela-goers won money transfers to South Asia and thousands of others received free goodies. This would surely rank among the most authentic replication of India anywhere-India included.

Round Two

When Lord Navnit Dholakia was appointed president of Britain's LibDem Party, he had earned the distinction of being the first ethnic minority president of a British political party. And now when it takes an immense effort to find an Asian minister, he has gone and got re-elected. Charles Kennedy, MP, leader of LibDem, said, "His sound advice, experience and expertise are invaluable." Says the Lord, who was elected Asian of the Year (2001), "It's a great honour to be re-elected president of the party at a time when its prospects are so bright. I am convinced that over the next two years the Liberal-Democrats will attract more support as an increasing number of people will realise that we are the effective opposition to the Government." As for himself, he won unopposed.

-Bureau reports