GWA MAY QUEEN – QATAR

CHITHIRA JOHNSON CROWNED 8TH MAY QUEEN IN QATAR
BY BOLLYWOOD CELEBRITIES
 

Chithira Johnson, a second year BA student from Christ College Bangalore, hailing from Kerala, crowned 8th May Queen by the Bollywood celebrities Sudhanshu Pandey, Mouli Ganguly, Kiran Dubey and Mazher Khan. Chithira Johnson walked away with a Gold Neckless, Airline ticket Doha-Calicut-Doha, weekend stay for two at the Four Seasons and a wrist watch. She is holidaying in Qatar at the moment and her dream is to become a Clinical Psychologist.

The first and second runner-up were Judeanne Rosario, a CHN student in Qatar from Daman & Diu and Vanessa D’Souza, MBA graduate from Goa respectively. They too walked away with a Brunch for two at Sheraton, a dinner for two at Sharq Village & Spa and a wrist watch. All three are participating for the May Queen Ball in Bahrain on 22nd May 2008, airline tickets, visas and accommodation sponsored by Young Goans Club, Bahrain .


15 young charming beauties of different countries like Iran , China , India , Egypt , and Bangladesh participated in the contest. This shows that the show is not only popular among Goans or Indians but people coming from different parts of the world. All the participants were presented with a rose sponsored by Gardenia and asked to introduce them selves followed by their question which determined their intellect. They were all given shopping vouchers at Splash presented by Praveen Bhatnagar, Chief Operating officer of Centrepoint.

In the beginning, the Event was kicked off to a very great start on the evening of May 8, 2008 at the Diplomatic Club by Updesh Swar the mood-setter of the evening, along with FOREFRONT, all the way from Goa . They started off on the centre of the dance floor with ‘Simply the best’ with Agatha on the vocals (originally a Tina Turner track) singing among the crowd along with their cordless guitars and the crowd pouring in continuously to the great sound and light effects done by Unique Sound D.J. Mario and Gardenia. The music from the Forefront kept the young and old on the dancing floor enjoying till the wee hours of the morning cheering the band and complimenting as one of the best shows in the Middle East . The vivid scenes of Goa projected on a giant screen depicted the touristic essence of Goa for the large number of attendees of different nationalities. High-energy pulsating dance beats, loads of prizes, Bollywood celebrities, spectacular beauty pageant and Qatar audience were all the part and parcel of the colossal 8th May Queen Ball.

The Grand march was led by the President Simon D’Silva followed by the Bollywood celebrities Sudhanshu Pandey, Kiran Dubey, Mouli Ganguly, Mazher Khan, committee members and the members. Before the event was declared open, President Simon D’Silva said, it is a proud moment for him and the Goan Welfare Association to welcome the galaxy of bollywood celebrities. In his welcome note he mentioned that in the year 2001, the like minded Goan brothers in Qatar got together to do something for the Gujarat Earthquake victims and since then the charity continued annually followed by the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, CRY, Qatar Church Building Fund, Girl Child Orphans, Orphan Children suffering from HIV, CARITAS GOA, etc. D’Silva said, during these glorious years the Association has established a relationship with Global Goans around the world and especially in the Middle East .

Today it is the first time in the history of Goan social events, the prominent Goan Leaders and Social Activists from the Gulf Countries came together under one roof in Qatar to grace and patronize the mega event. They are Francisco Correia, President of Young Goans Club Bahrain, Gerard Fernandes, it’s Vice President, Gabriel Crasto, Chairman of Bahrain Goans Football League, Carmo Santos, Chairman of Goan Cultural Centre Kuwait, Agnello Fernandes Past President of Navelim Youth Centre Kuwait, Celso Fernandes, Vice President of The Goan Community of Oman and Bartholomeo Silveira a social activist all the way from Abu Dhabi. The Asscociation won accolades from the Goan Community Leaders across the GCC countries for their well organized 8th Annual May Queen Ball. The event was declared open by the GWA President Simon D’Silva while a big bunch of balloons went up and children popped confetti’s.

The May Queen contest was co-ordinated by Archie D’Mello, Director of CEO’s Office , Qatar Airways. It was judged by a panel of three eminent Judges, Sarita Barretto, a bollywood costume designer, Agnello Fernandes, Past President of Navelim Youth Centre Kuwait and Gabriel Crasto, Chairman of Bahrain Goans Football League who is also a Master Compere for different shows.

A Konkani book ‘ZOIT’ written by Walter Menezes of Quepem, Goa was released by Hazel Rodrigues, General Secretary of the Association.
 

click on the thumbnail images for larger ones.

In recognition of the Outstanding Young Talent in Tennis, Lizerra Vaz, a Goan studying at DPS School in Doha has been felicitated by the Goan Welfare Association and a momento was presented to her through Harish Arora, First Secretary at the Indian Embassy in Qatar.

The GWA also felicitated through the hands of Harish Arora, First Secretary at the Indian Embassy, Doha – Qatar , to some of the recipients of the Community Service Leadership Awards from the Goa Governenment. They were Francisco Correia, President of Young Goans Club Bahrain , Carmo Santos, Chairman of Goan Cultural Centre Kuwait , Mr. Gabriel Crasto, Chairman of Bahrain Goans Football League, Celso Fernandes, Vice President of the Goan Community of Oman and Simon D’Silva, President of Goan Welfare Association, Qatar .

As a token of appreciation GWA President Simon D’Silva presented momentos to Bollywood celebrities Sudhanshu Pandey, Mouli Ganguly, Mazher Khan, Kiren Dubey and Glen Barretto (Director). Also, a token of appreciation was presented to Basil Coutinho who is a senior member of the asscociation who flew in from Goa to attend the show. The Association has honoured Mr. Praveen Bhatnagar, COO of Centrepoint for committing to continue the title sponsorship every year. The celebrities were very happy to be a part of the event and appreciated the Goan Welfare Association’s effort to put up such a magnificent show which made them feel like they are in Goa . They also congratulated the beautiful people of Doha as they were rocking the party.

The Lucky entrant draw was done by Mouli Ganguly, and the 1st prize was a Refrigerator sponsored by Elisha Enterprises Calangute Goa, presented by Elisha Fernandes who also flew in from Goa to partake and support the event. More lucky entrance prizes were given like guitars, electronics and suit materials. There were many other electronic and valuable spot prizes given away during the entire event.


It was a Goan Welfare Association and Splash presentation, where Splash was the Title Sponsor, Qatari Industrial Equipment was the Co-Sponsor and Al-Sulaiman Jewellers was Associate Sponsor.

Official Airline was Qatar Airways, Official Hotel was Ramada Plaza, Official Media Partner Gulf Times, Official Bank Doha Bank and the Official Video/Photography was Gardenia.

Photos and DVD’s of the event are available at Gardenia on 4440789 or contact Mr. Saher Karaan on 5651578.

GWA thanked all the Sponsors: Mannai Trading Company, Al Muftah Group, Yara International ASA, Lulu Hypermarket Trading Co., Caspian Pearl, Indoors Decorators and Beauty Lights, Qatar Trading & Transport Company, Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCIC), Qatar Kentz, Mega Mart, Trelco Limited Company, Safari Kansai Co., Insulation Engineering Co., Al-Taqadum Library, Gulf International Enterprises, Aero Freight Services , Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention, Four Seasons Hotel, Sharq Village & Spa, Intertec, Westar Watches – Domasco, Royal Goan Beach Club, Modern Home, Q-Soft, Seven Tech for Office Support, Continental Traders, Indian Airlines, Video Home (LG), Prakkat Jewellers, Elisha Enterprises – Calangute, Cleopatra Travels, Mercure Grand Hotel, Trust Exchange (State Bank of India), Jet Travels, Unique Choice, Professional Tools & Trading, Gulf Lights Electrical Engineering, Danem Engineering Works, Gulf Industrial Projects Development Co., ZAD Marketing & Distribution, Ooverseas Travel Bureau, B. F. Homes, AXIS Bank, Ansar Gallery, Seashore Trading, Sigma Paints, Safari Kansai, Regency Tours & Travels, Kingfisher Airline Ltd., Kebab King, Designer Textiles & Tailors, Swagath Restaurant and Young Goans Club, Bahrain.

Report and pictures exclusive to www.goa-world.com
13/5/2008