Journalism of Courage
There was a blast of music and the stage lit up. Auditions for the title of Ms NDA,a pageant that is an inseparable part of the NDA Ball every year,were on at Gold Big Cinemas,Kalyani Nagar,on May 13 and 14. The ball marks the culmination of the training that the cadets undergo in their three-year long stay at the National Defence Academy (NDA). Naturally,the event is eagerly awaited for,not just by the cadets of NDA,but also by the young women who want to make their mark in the modelling industry. This will be the first time I will be taking part in a modelling event. I think it will make for a very good stepping stone for someone like me, says Sapna Gajbhiv,a candidate for the auditions.
The NDA ball lines up interesting prizes for the winners. The winner will be appointed as the brand ambassador of the energy drink BLU for six months,but that isn’t the only motivation that these girls have in mind. I’m not very tall and people have the misconception that people who are short can’t win pageants. I want to prove them wrong, says 20-year-old bellydancer,Vidhyashree Nayak.
The NDA boys have an audition too. Yes,the boys do have to audition because we want tall,good looking young men to complement the ladies, says Rana. Modelling wouldn’t seem like a pre-occupation of a future solider,but according to the panel,one would be surprised. “They are such men already,with their bulging biceps,and they are so smart. They really like to showcase their talent on stage, says Rana. Besides the pageant,the panel promises a lot more glamour and entertainment at the NDA Ball,which will be held on May 19. We want this to be a very memorable evening for the cadets as well as the ladies,so there are definitely some surprises,” says Rana.
