Organisers have stoutly defended the Miss Tibet contest even though all the contestants bar one have pulled out, creating a walkover for the winner.
Organiser Lobsang Wangyal said the name of the "lone brave contestant" would be kept secret until the 8 October gala.

The contest is set to take place in the Indian Himalayan resort of Dharamsala, which houses exiled Tibetan leaders.

The four-year-old contest has struggled to find its feet amid staunch opposition from conservative Buddhists.

Tiara

The BBC's Baldev Chauhan in Dharamsala says seven young women pulled out at the last moment.


Exhibiting of the female body in this manner is against Tibetan Buddhism and culture
Thupten Samphel,
exiled leaders' spokesman

This is the second time in the contest's brief history that a walkover has been awarded.

But Mr Wangyal told the BBC this was not the end of the road for the pageant.

"Absolutely not, a time will come soon when the conservative Tibetan society will break out of its traditional shackles and accept such shows with open arms," he said.

"The girls also have to give a lecture on Tibetan culture, history and current affairs. It is a Tibet beauty pageant, not aping Western culture."

The winner will get a tiara and a cheque for 100,000 rupees ($2,200).

Conservative Tibetan Buddhist society and the Tibetan government in exile are both opposed to the beauty contest.

A spokesman for the exiled leaders, Thupten Samphel, said: "Exhibiting of the female body in this manner is against Tibetan Buddhism and culture."

Our correspondent says commentators suspect the lone woman's name is not being disclosed by the organisers as pressure may be exerted on her to also opt out of the contest.

Tens of thousands of Tibetans, including spiritual leader the Dalai Lama have taken refuge in India since a failed uprising against China in 1959.

BBC news

Crisis for Miss Tibet contest
The Miss Tibet beauty contest is in deep trouble.


It's only one year old and only one contestant turned up for this week's contest.

She is 20-year-old Tsering Kyi.

"We declared her Miss Tibet," said competition organiser Lobsang Wangyal.

It is not clear if he had any alternative plan of action.

Why so little interest?

"There was immense social pressure on the girls not to participate by traditional sections of the Tibetan society," Mr Wangyal told the BBC.

The contest is staged in the northern Indian city of Dharamsala, the seat of the Tibetan government in exile.

Last year's inaugural pageant did fare better - 30 Tibetan women registered. However, on the day, only four turned up.

Dwindling response

This year, the organisers received only 10 applications.

As Tsering Kyi gets used to her new title of Miss Tibet 2003, Mr Wangyal described her as "a brave girl".


She is a student in a nearby monastery in the scenic Kangra valley.

Ms Kyoi was born and raised in north-eastern Tibet.

She escaped to India after finishing high school at the age of 16.

Ms Kyoi has written a book of poetry in Tibetan and speaks fluent Chinese, according to the Miss Tibet website.

She has won several prizes in high school level essay competitions.

"She defied the community's intense silent protest to participate," Mr Wangyal said.

The formal ceremony crowning Ms Kyi will be held on 9 October.

She will be presented a prize of 100,000 rupees ($2,000).

The organisers made frantic last minute efforts to persuade more girls to participate but failed.

The organisers and a section of the younger Tibetan community say that the Miss Tibet show is another way of espousing the Tibetan cause.

But the BBC's Baldev Chauhan says it has met fierce opposition from traditional Buddhists in the area.

They argue that holding beauty contests is against the very essence of Tibetan culture.

Many of them were particularly outraged by a round in which contestants parade in swimsuits.

The critics of the contest include the Prime Minister-in-exile, Samdhong Rinpoche.

Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has remained silent on this issue.

Any photoes, bro ?

well she'll prob look alot better then that hound that won miss nepal

Well about these beauty pageants...I guess its alright....but, its really sexist! Where is mr. universe or mr. world eh? Yea, I am sure these beauty contest display women's brains and beauty...but what a way to show it.... Why not do something great in real life and prove your worth and get acknowledged for it? And to this day..I still have no idea....why they cry after winning the crown (plus don't forget one of the common scene of putting one of their hand over their mouth while crying). Sniff sniff..and hugs..puhlease :P

World Peace! :D

ooh yea..see what I mean about women displaying their brains in a beauty pageant? I just read newlynew and sram comments ...about looks. No wonder the bhutanese don't want their women to be exposed in that sort of way where women are judged on their looks. And sram, miss nepal a hound? Look at yourself beforing commenting on others. If not the look, maybe she's got personality and brains..but you don't know about that do, you? haaarey! just I just bit on a fiery hot khursaaani!!!...gotta go get ice cubes. C ya!

World Peace :D

oops! me bad. I mean tibetans..kabata bhutanese aayo.

oi Xena..there is MR Universe ok!!!not sure about Mr World..im sure there is...guys are worldly ppl tooo!!!duh!! ;oP hehe..just google ..or u prefer yahoo?or ?watever u prefer..just check!!and u find out ;o)...

and duh!!its a beauty contest!!!!which is just a nice way of sayin its a MEAT MARKET!!! :o) (of cos not a bit of brain to go with the MEAT ;oP...hehe)...as tho u dunno..live with it ;oP...if u dun wanna?start ur own Beauty contest where well its about 'beauty' whatever beauty means to u ;oP....

and World peace me foot!!!we only will get world peace when the world cease to exist!!!:oD will i be proven wrong?well not in me lifetime anyways..well who knows?i be glad to be prove wrong ;o) hehe...

anyways before i write one whole essay of nothings..hehe...

have fun :oD

Hey Dananah,

Yea, there is probably Mr. Universe or whatsover..but its not really popular is it? All the emphasis goes on the female pageant...in a way indicating that looks should be exploited only by women. But hey, I am not against it but neither do I think its like World Cup event where ppl think its one of the greatest thing on earth.....World Cup is soooo much better! And yup, you are right..meat market nai ho. Me start a beauty contest? hehe..I think I might. Why don't u apply? ;) Remember to bring your high heels :D

About world peace, bro...I don't really mean it. I am just quoting Sandra Bullock and the rest of the contestants from Miss Congeniality.

Xena....i have looked at myself...n i reckon i would look better dressed in drag then she does.. the contest picks out the person with the best alround qualities.....she may have the qualities as a nice person n all....but im afraid she has none for the looks n body department. she prob only won cos of the position of her dad, cos all the nepal girls that i kno are much better lookin then her..hell..u prob are aswell!!!

Sram,
What Body parts ? Just shows how shallow you aare Moron. Talkin about body parts...he he Lotta girls don't think you hold well when it comes to comparin' the measuring stick too Moron. All the black girls think you are carrying toothpick in your pants too Fuggin Idiot.

first of all BathroomCoffee..i didnt specify any body part..and how can i be called shallow u thick shit...i said the contest looks at all the qualities of the girls..and she fails in those catogories....so therefore she shoudnt be miss nepal.Same as if she was beautifull n had a good body but was thick as a plank of wood (ie jessica simpson)..then she still shouldnt be miss nepal. And where do black girls come into this.. u think ur black or summat ya sad shite

haha! BCofee, you took the words right outta my mouth :D

Sram, even if she get in the postion cause of her dad..fine. But you mentioned her looks so like BCoffee says....you are shallow..shallow hal (too much watching movies here, ppl..hehe). Don't you get the idea of the posting? That these pageants try to exploit women based on physical qualities which we hardly see guys being exposed to. These pageant always deny its not about the body but also the brains..but by listening to ppl like you..we can all see that brains is hardly taken into consideration. And me ugly? Oh yea..I am so damn ugly....bichara ma..sniff sniff :P

"but im afraid she has none for the looks n body department. she prob only won cos of the position of her dad, cos all the nepal girls that i kno are much better lookin then her..hell..u prob are aswell!!! "

I guess an analogy is too much to comprehend for your peanut sized brain( just like you are criticizing that individual for her physical appearance ... Black girls will laugh at your pencil dick).

"Same as if she was beautifull n had a good body but was thick as a plank of wood (ie jessica simpson)..then she still shouldnt be miss nepal."

Yo Moron...What is the contest called again ? Beauty Pagent(not brain pagent). I rest my case.

I must admit Miss Nepal is pretty ugly. You do not see someone that ugly being Miss "Any Country" very often.

hey bathroomcoffee,
is it just me, or are you slightly contradicting yourself there? "Yo Moron...What is the contest called again ? Beauty Pagent(not brain pagent). I rest my case."...just a thought lol

Unknown10,
Read the precursor to the statement,"so therefore she shoudnt be miss nepal.Same as if she was beautifull n had a good body but was thick as a plank of wood (ie jessica simpson).." See where I am coming from ? Make sense now ? he he

hmm..i'm still confused. ah well, leave me be! :)