.jpg?20260326')
Bahrain-based creative talent Ramanpreet Praveen has made family and friends in the kingdom proud by recently winning a prestigious international beauty pageant.
The Indian expatriate and author competed with 80 contestants from around the world, including the Middle East, India, Australia, Europe and Canada at the 14th edition of Haut Monde Mrs India Worldwide, staged in Ajman, the UAE.
She was crowned Haut Monde Mrs India Worldwide Bahrain Queen and even bagged the title for Haut Monde Mrs India Worldwide Talented.
“It feels so surreal to have won and I am happy to have been part of this incredible journey,” Ms Praveen told the GDN.
“I didn’t just make myself proud – I brought honour to Bahrain, India, and everyone who stood by me with love and belief.
“My family had flown down to cheer me on. Amid the dazzling lights and buzzing excitement, I could hear my husband calling out my name with joy and pride. Seeing them in the crowd, smiling, supporting, and standing by me, was overwhelming,” the 50-year-old mother-of-two added.
Talking about her experience at the six-day event, the psychologist and GulfWeekly mental health columnist, fondly reminisced about the ‘unforgettable days’, which comprised a ‘rollercoaster of emotions’.
“From the excitement of packing my bags to sharing a room with a stranger who soon became one of my closest friends and from meeting incredible new people to the whirlwind of getting ready for photoshoots, it was chaos wrapped in magic,” she said.
“We started with the swimwear photoshoot and walk, followed by the saree (Indian attire) shoot, resort wear shoot, and the elegant evening gown photoshoot. Each day brought a new opportunity to express confidence, grace and style.
“On the fifth day, we had the talent round, where I performed the energetic Bhangra, the vibrant folk dance of Punjab (Ms Praveen’s native state). It was a moment of pure joy to represent my culture on such a grand platform and even more heartwarming to see the audience dancing, clapping and cheering along with me.
“For the grand finale, we walked the ramp, introduced ourselves to the world, and witnessed the announcement of subtitle winners, zonal winners, and finally, the main titleholders,” said Ms Praveen, who has lived in Bahrain since 2009, with husband Praveen Nambiar, who works with Hilal Computers.
Their daughter, Prarthana, attends New Millennium School and son, Pranav, is pursuing his higher education in Bangalore.
While she is excited to have won, Ms Praveen highlighted that the journey leading up to the pageant wasn’t an easy one.
“From the very day I decided to participate (in the pageant), I knew this wouldn’t be easy. I was prepared to face obstacles, health barriers, mental hesitation, and the fear of getting lost along the way. But I’m proud to say that with resilience in my heart and confidence in my stride, I made it.”
A previous GDN report brought alive the beauty queen’s fitness journey, which led her to lose 41.5kg over one and a half years. Ms Praveen underpinned how losing the weight even got people, who once ignored her, to look up to her. And, most importantly, how the pageant was instrumental in her transformation, teaching her to nurture herself and live a balanced life.
The previous GDN report on her transformation journey
“Following the strict guidance of my doctors, trainers, and mentors wasn’t easy. But the most empowering decision I made was to surrender to the process,” she noted.
Not one to rest on past laurels, Ms Praveen is set to launch her podcast ‘Be Candid with Preety’ in September.
“It will spotlight inspiring stories from both well-known and everyday individuals – people who made powerful U-turns in life and sparked positive change not only for themselves but also for those around them,” she said.
“I am also diving into my next novel, Pocket Full Of Promises, the much-awaited sequel to my previous book, Cross Connection and hope to release it in February.
“I have also enrolled in the Indian Film Project Festival’s writing competition, and will be starting work on my next film project too.”
In the past, Ms Praveen has been involved in many creative projects, including the Hindi movie Bas Ik Vaari (‘just once’), which was screened at Mukta Cinema and can be viewed on the Pocket Films channel on YouTube.
&uuid=(email))