Utahn wins 2014 Mrs Asia USA pageant


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RIVERTON — A Riverton woman won the 26th annual Mrs. Asia USA. pageant Saturday and hopes to use her crown to help two causes close to her heart.

Aakshi Sharma Walia grew up in Jammu and Kashmir, India, but moved to Utah in 2003 to be with her husband after their arranged marriage. Walia said she had previously competed in and won two pageants in India, and in August, she became interested in competing in the 2014 Mrs. Asia USA pageant.

The Mrs. Asia USA pageant gives married, Asian-American women an opportunity to represent their native culture, Walia said. She represented India during the pageant held at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach, California on Nov. 22.

For the past 10 years, Walia said has continued to visit India each summer to help with an orphanage for girls. She said participating in the pageant will help her create awareness for the orphanage and for an organization in Nepal that helps sex trafficking victims.

“My main reason for (doing) this pageant was to spread awareness for two causes,” she said. “This orphanage provides support to girls who have been ostracized by their parents in gender discrimination. That’s very common in India. ... They think it’s a shame to have a girl baby. So we fight for them and stand up for them.”

Along with spreading awareness of problems in her home country, Walia also displayed beautiful, traditional Indian clothing and danced during the pageant. Because she decided to participate in the pageant only three months before the event, she said she was surprised when she was crowned the winner.

“I was very surprised and shocked,” she said. “It was a great feeling, though... It opened up a door so people will listen to me more.”

Walia was awarded a cash prize and will have the opportunity to tour other countries to promote her Indian culture. She hopes to participate in the Mrs. Asia International pageant in Nov. 2015.

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