It is with much sadness that we got to know about the passing of Maureen Hingert on Tuesday 1st July. A Beauty Queen par excellence, she put our country on the map of Beauty pageants in the world as far back as when our isle was known as Ceylon.
She was placed 2nd Runner-up in the 1955 Miss Universe pageant and held the record even to the time of her passing and even after, posthumously as the only Sri Lankan to have got such a placing ever at a prestigious International Beauty pageant.
Sunday Observer Explorer, in its very first issue in March this year dedicated a full page on Maureen Hingert, together with the announcement of the Miss Universe Sri Lanka 2025 pageant.
We even featured a beautiful photograph of Maureen which still adorns our editorial walls. The photograph had been taken by a photo studio which was housed at the Lake House premises in the year 1955.
We reproduce it today in these columns in honour of the prestige she brought to our country and in honour of her achievements that brought pride to not only herself but to then Ceylon and that pride prevails unto this date, even yet for Sri Lanka.
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“World-Class Sri Lankans”
Maureen Neliya Ballard whose maiden name was ‘Maureen Hingert’ and was professionally known as “Jana Davi” passed away on tuesday in the United States of America.
Born in 1937, she was a Sri Lankan actress, dancer, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Ceylon 1955 and represented her country at Miss Universe 1955 where she was placed 2nd Runner-Up.
Due to her high placement in the contest, she was revered as “putting Ceylon on the map” and being an ambassador for her country, Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka).
She was also a dancer, and gave solo performances at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and other major Los Angeles venues.
When one of her three daughters – Gina Zamparelli died in 2018 after achieving much fame herself in arts and entertainment and the field of historic preservation, Maureen slowed down and was greatly saddened by her loss.
The elegant Maureen closed her eyes at the age of 88.
The social media site aptly titled “world Class Sri Lankans” features those who have brought honour to our country. Their post very sadly had the above message upon the passing of Maureen Hingert, a legend of our times.
