City doctor sets heart on bringing Mrs India SA crown home
A TYGERBERG Hospital doctor has been selected as the only finalist from Cape Town in the Mrs India South Africa pageant taking place in Durban later this year.
Saumya Gautam from Century City was selected out of about 800 entrants.
The Mrs India South Africa pageant aims at promoting and uplifting the worth of women through pageantry.
It is a national pageant, open to women between the ages of 24 and 46, who are married/ divorced or widowed.
However, entering the pageant was actually the idea of Gautam’s husband Siddharth. He filled in the application without her knowing.
“I am feeling thankful to God and blessed for this great opportunity in my life,” she said.
With Gautam’s passion for uplifting woman, she said she had been praying for a platform to serve humanity on a bigger scale.
“Every second woman is suffering, from socio-economic to family problems. Women are the most beautiful creation in the world. If they know what they’re worth, they can touch the sky.
“The problem is many women don’t have support. I want them to know what you are capable of.
“I had prayed to God that I need a platform and I thank God for giving me a platform to give my voice to the voiceless.”
Siddharth said: “My wife always talks about humanity and serving. She is very caring to her patients and does a lot of charity work.
“She likes to advocate women’s issues and I thought this would be a great platform to get more people to listen.”
Gautam was born and bred in Mumbai, India, but has called South Africa home for the past two years.
“I have two home countries, both India and South Africa. India is beautiful, you can see a different culture, everyone is friendly. It is where I came from. It gave me my identity. South Africa is also beautiful, and the people are so welcoming and friendly. When I came here I didn’t feel homesick. I just love Cape Town.”
Gautam was also recently selected to be the Cape Town brand ambassador for the Smile Foundation.
“I like to do charity work and attach to foundations. I thank God for giving me the strength to serve real humanity in the world. Bringing a smile to poor and underprivileged children is next to God.”
The 2018 pageant will take place at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban on August 25. The winner of the national pageant, will represent South Africa at the Mrs India global pageant.
She likes to advocate women’s issues; this would be a great platform