beautiful stage – lovely young lasses standing with hope and trepidation in their hearts and minds – Will I be the lucky one? And for Dewmini Sathsarani, it was a hope fulfilled – a dream come true. She was crowned Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2019 at a glamorous finale on October 14 at the Hilton, Colombo.
Tears of joy shone in her eyes and her dazzling smile flashed as the glittering crown was placed on her head by Amritaa de Silva, the title holder for 2016.
Youth Observer spoke to Dewmini Sathsarani about this momentous milestone in her young life.
Q: You are Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2019. How did you come to enter this contest?
A: I am a student of the Dreamron College of Art and Beauty. My then teacher encouraged me to enter the contest. I also had the support of my family.
Q: Can you say something about the contest.
A: The contest itself was a wonderful experience. Having the opportunity to work with some of the well known names in this industry was definitely the chance of a lifetime. There were eight mini contests. I won the NLB Face of the Year mini pageant. At the final round there were twelve contestants.
Q: On what basis was the selection of Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2019 made at the Grand Finale?
A: The selection was done by taking into consideration the total score of all the points gained by the contestants at the mini pageants and the presentations made by them at the final.
Q: Who were the judges?
A: There were five judges. They were Creative Director, Hilton, Colombo, Kay Ng, Fashion Designer, Lou Chin Wong, head of Media and Activations, Unilever, Sri Lanka, Channa Tennakoon, Ms. Isabella Victor and actress Sabeetha Perera.
Q: How did you feel when they announced you as the winner?
A: I was completely stunned and became emotional in the most incredible way.
Q: What type of a dress did you wear for the Grand Finale?
A: A white evening dress embellished with pearls. It was designed by Senaka de Silva.
Q: Who did your hair and make up for this ‘night of nights’?
A: My hair and makeup was done by well known hair dress and beautician, Ramani Fernando.
Q: What was your National Dress for the contest and who was the designer?
A: It was a traditional Sri Lankan reddai-hatte (cloth and jacket) designed by Senaka de Silva.
Q: Who were the people who helped you to win the contest?
A: At the time of entering the pageant my family and my teacher at Dreamron College were my closest support team. During the contest the training and coaching I received from the organisers of the Miss Sri Lanka pageant contributed immensely to my growth while being a contestant at the pageant. I am very grateful to them.
Q: What did you do for the Miss Talent Contest?
A: I chose a traditional Indian Kathak dance.
Q: As Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World 2019 what are you doing during your tenure in office?
A: Winning the Miss Sri Lanka title means beauty with a purpose. Due to the prevailing Covid–19 situation my duties as the reigning Miss Sri Lanka had to be halted. But now that normalcy has returned to the country , it is my intention and duty to help and assist the less fortunate people in society.
I believe that for our country to move forward each of us needs to play our part responsibly.
Q: When and where was the pageant held?
A: It was held in London on December 14, 2019.
Q: What was your national costume at the contest?
A: It was a traditional Sri Lankan dance costume created and designed by Channa Wijewardene.
Q: What kind of an item did you present for the Miss Talent contest?
A: I performed a traditional Sri Lankan dance.
Q: How many countries participated in this event
A: About 120 countries took part.
Q: Please say something about the pageant and the pre and post pageant experiences.
A: The Miss World Pageant experience is indescribable. One must be there to know and feel the energy, the positive vibes and the incredible talent displayed throughout the journey.Not only did I embrace the experience of the pageant but also had the opportunity to learn about other cultures and languages from the other participants. This experience has certainly changed my outlook on life and enriched my growth as a person.
Q: What are your impressions of London?
A: The city of London is a fashion capital. Though it was heavy winter I was amazed by how the people dressed and though cold
how they enjoyed the winter. We, the participants had the opportunity to visit some of the iconic tourist sights and eat typical English food. I would definitely love to visit London
again.
Q: As Miss Sri Lanka for Miss World what do you consider to be your responsibilities and how would you fulfill them?
A: Irrespective of winning the title I always believed that I should first help my community in every little way that I could. Having won the Miss Sri Lanka title no doubt has opened many doors for me to render my services not only to my community but also to my country. I will surely contribute where required and help to build my country and assist people in need.
Q: How do you like to dress?
A: I have always dressed according to the place I intend to go to. As a young woman I think it is important to dress modestly if you want to be taken seriously.
Q: Do you do any modeling and acting?
A:Yes, I do model and I get requests to model but I am very selective in what I do.
Q: What about your family?
A: We are a close family of four. I have a younger brother with whom I enjoy totally hanging out.
Q: You attended Seethadevi Girls’ College, Kandy. What extra curricular activities did you do there?
A: I did some sports and represented my school at traditional dance competitions.
Q: You want to be a beautician. How are you setting about to achieve this?
A: I am a Diploma holder in Art and beauty and am currently in the process of completing my higher studies in this field.
Q: What do you enjoy doing?
A: I enjoy reading about fashion, food and current affairs. I also like dancing and music. I love travelling in Sri Lanka and talking to my best friend who is like a sister to me.
Q: What part does religion play in your life?
A: It plays a pivotal role.