The initial stages of the Mrs World pageant are under way in the US, with 58 married beauty queens all hoping to earn a place in the competition's final and take home the crown.
The event, founded in 1984, celebrates “the uniqueness of married women” as well as their families and communities, according to its organisers. It has taken place in countries around the world, from India and Russia to South Africa and South Korea.
For the first time, the UAE is represented in the competition. A former employee of Emirates airline, Debanjali Kamstra, 35, is an architect and opened her first interior design business, Veloche, in Dubai a decade ago. A resident of the UAE for 13 years, she has since started two more companies, one selling home interiors and the other dealing in healthy snacks and drinks.
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Kamstra, 35, an Indian businesswoman and mother-of-two, has called the UAE home for the past 14 years. All photos by Mahmoud Marei, Syed Kamran Ali unless stated otherwise -
Held since 1984, the Mrs World contest was cancelled in 2021 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. -
From left: Mrs UAE World Debanjali Kamstra, Mrs World Shaylyn Ford and Mrs Jordan World Jaclyn Stapp. Ford won the Mrs World 2021 contest, while Mrs Jordan and Mrs UAE came in second and third, respectively. Photos: Mahmoud Marei, Instagram -
Debanjali Kamstra in her national costume, designed by Filipino talent Cary Santiago, in the preliminary rounds of Mrs World 2022. Photo: Debanjali Kamstra -
Debanjali Kamstra, the first Mrs UAE World, waves the UAE flag in the middle of Times Square in New York City, as she begins her journey to the US for the pageant. Photo: Debanjali Kamstra -
Debanjali Kamstra is the first beauty queen to represent the UAE. -
Kamstra has no previous modelling or beauty pageant experience. -
Kamstra came in third at Mrs World, which 'celebrates the uniqueness of married women'. -
Former cabin crew with Emirates airline, Kamstra is also an architect and opened the interior design company Veloche in Dubai a decade ago. -
As there has never been a Mrs UAE World before, Kamstra says her preparations for the contest were entirely self-funded. -
Kamstra married her husband, Christiaan, in 2012 and the couple live in Dubai with their two daughters, Victoria, 6, and Tiffany, 5. -
Kamstra says she now hopes to bring Mrs World to the UAE. -
Kamstra says she would like to be a part of setting up an organisation that works to send participants to the Mrs World competition in the future.
Kamstra flew to the US in December to enjoy a trip to New York before knuckling down to prepare for the competition.
This year, the final is taking place in Las Vegas, and those who can’t be there can still watch all the action live. Here’s how:
When is the Mrs World final taking place?
The new Mrs World will be crowned on Saturday, January 15, after a four-hour event at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. The final will start at 5pm Pacific Time.
How can you watch the final of Mrs World?
You can watch the final via a live stream, which is being organised by sister competition Mrs America. It will be available to those who purchase tickets in advance from the official Mrs World website.
How much are tickets?
Tickets for the live stream cost $24.99 and will need to be purchased in advance. Once tickets have been purchased, you will be sent a link to the live stream, which will be activated once the pageant begins.
What else do you need to know?
A minimum of 1.5Mb download internet speed is required to watch the live stream at the best quality. It will work with most operating systems on desktop and mobile devices, and is also available in a lower bitrate feed that will work over most 3G and 4G services.
Those who purchase a live-stream ticket will also be able to watch a replay of the final, which will remain available for 72 hours afterwards.
