“Do you like the mountains or the sea?” – “It would be a little difficult to choose from the aspect of beauty, considering the fact that both are dangerously beautiful. However, if I had to plump for one, I’d prefer the sea.

The sea is home to numerous aquatic organisms. A major portion of our diet is derived from the sea. Trade is carried out through the sea route.” A 22-year-old Sana Chakraborty wittingly answered and went on to be the winner of Miss Bonitaa 2023. With hundreds registering for one of the biggest talent hunt and beauty pageants in eastern India, only 16 were chosen as finalists for Miss Bonita ’23.

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Contestants from myriad parts of West Bengal took the ramp by storm at The Park Kolkata on Sunday evening, showcasing their talent, intelligence and the X-factor in their personality.

The city of joy witnessed a boost of glitz and poise with aspiring models exhibiting graceful walks in silk and handloom sarees, glimmering lehenga cholis, glossy and matte bodycon dresses, and exquisite ball gowns.

The contestants were judged on various parameters such as confidence, grace, communication skills, extracurricular activities such as dance, vocal music, poetry, yoga and acting, overall personality, and a Q&A round.

Miss Bonitaa 2023 was organised by Texvoindia, and Gold and Diamond Bazaar in association with The Statesman and powered by Redcel, in search of true talent. Helping young women develop effective communication skills, appropriate etiquette, and demeanour, the platform of Miss Bonitaa also boosted their perception of self worth and helped them build fashion flare and elegance. In addition, the pageant gave young women a stage on which to display their skills and talents and created chances for networking and personal development.

“For me, a beauty contest is a contest of intelligence,” said writer-director Leena Gangopadhyay, a member of the jury. As a booster dose of entertainment, a team of renowned female and male models of Kolkata, headed by Santanu Guha Thakurta, exhibited a breathtaking walk on the ramp.

The jury of Miss Bonitaa 2023 was composed of actor Joy Banerjee, chief mentor of IFM Academy, Siliguri, Kuntanil Das, live coach Debojit Sarkar, Kunal Kumar, Anil Kr Gupta, Ashish Middha, actress Papiya Adhikary, Prabir Gupta, Kunal Kumar, Mr Reddy, Mr Awasthi and Leena Gangopadhyay.

Miss Moumita Biswas and Miss Mouli Das Adhikary were crowned the first runnerup and second runner-up, respectively. The final trio was presented with mementos and certificates by Trinamul MLA Madan Mitra, chairman of West Bengal Transport Corporation.