Indian wins Miss Deaf Asia crown

Haryana girl Nishtha Dudeja has proved that disability cannot come in the way of success. She has won the Miss Deaf Asia 2018 title at an international pageant held in Prague recently.

Nishtha, who is the first Indian to have won any title at the Miss Deaf World Pageant, said on Monday that she faced tough competition from contestants from China, Thailand, Taiwan, Israel, Czech Republic, Belarus, Mexico, South Africa and other countries at the 18th edition of Miss and Mister Deaf World -Europe -Asia Beauty Pageant 2018 held recently at Prague, Czech Republic.

The beauty from Haryana's industrial city of Panipat, around 85 km from New Delhi, who was born deaf did not think of herself being differently-abled and chose to take her chance in the field of beauty.

"I want to thank my parents for their consistent support who were always there to help me. Now I want to help the deprived people even at the cost of my comfort. I believe that the differently abled people don't need pity. They only deserve equal opportunities to prove themselves," Nishtha, who has returned to India now, said.

The 23-year-old Panipat girl is a commerce graduate from Venkateshwara College, Delhi University, and presently pursuing MA in economics from Mithibai College, University of Mumbai. Prior to this title, Nishtha had also won the Miss Deaf India title on February 26 this year in Jaipur.

She is the brand ambassador for Sivantos India Pvt Ltd. (Formerly Siemens hearing Instruments Pvt Ltd.), the world's leading brand of hearing aids, having about a 25 per cent market share globally.