Sikkim is beautiful, so are its boys

Gangtok: Talk about Sikkim, and the first thing that comes to one’s mind is its enchanting natural beauty. The scene is somewhat changing, though. The tiny Himalayan state is all set to organise its first ever male beauty pageant that will promote young men with not just good looks but also personality, talent, valour and chivalry to boot.

The inaugural event, the grand finale of which will be held sometime in November, is themed around mental health among men. Explaining the rationale behind this, Yougen Tamang, event head, Mr Sikkim 2018, says: “The suicide rate among men is four times higher than in women. The situation in Sikkim is no better. So, we decided to create awareness about the issue through the event.”

The pageant is also promoting an ecosystem of entrepreneurship in the state. Instead of roping in big brands for sponsorship, the organisers have got local entrepreneurs to come forward and support the event. “We have several good brands in the state, we are trying to promote them as well. That’s how Sikkim Organic Temi Tea became our title sponsor,” adds Tamang.

A collaborative initiative of GBT Entertainment of Namchi, Sikkim Chronicle and The Accelerator, Sikkim 2018 received around 200 applications, of which 23 have been shortlisted for the main event. The pageant will also include a curtain-raiser, besides some pre-event and post-event programmes. The grand finale will be held in the state capital Gangtok in the month of November.