A Miss England hopeful is following in the footsteps of her mum to become a top beauty queen. Research scientist Anjali Sinha beat 11 other rivals to be crowned Miss London while wearing a recycled outfit which cost less than £40.
The 23-year-old’s achievement comes almost 28 years to the day after her mum Ashvini, 48, was crowned Miss Mumbai in India. The family moved from Mumbai to London in 2003 before settling in Middlesex and Anjali has been keen to follow her mum down the catwalk.
Anjali said: “I’ve been in modelling since around 16. My mother was a pageant girl herself. She got married young and gave her life for me. She calls me pretty and beautiful all the time and suggested why not do something extracurricular.
“She suggested modelling, she said it might be quite beneficial. I started doing teen pageants, it has completely transformed me into the woman I am today.
“Both of my parents during the show, they were calm people. In my culture they pray a lot, they were hoping for the best.
“When my mum saw she had tears in her eyes. She must’ve seen herself on stage, I’m her only child. For my mum it was about connecting her younger self to me.
“Seeing her smile has made me how much love and care and guidance she has for me. People think we’re sisters - we’re that close.
“She was Miss Andheri in Mumbai in 1994. That's where her upbringing was. She was a regional winner for Mumbai.”
Anjali is hoping to win Miss England later this year after her Miss London win and use the opportunity to delve into her ‘Hello Happiness’ campaign. She wooed judges with her sustainable outfit in the Miss London final, drawing inspiration from Georgian style and Jane Austen.
She added: “The shoes, the hat and the dress were all under £40. I was so grateful to buy from Oxfam and that money is going to somewhere good. It was so difficult to find a dress. My project name is ‘Hello Happiness’ as the main aim of my project is to create happiness in children as children are our future.”
Anjali will compete in the Miss England final in October.
