In front of a packed audience at ITA cultural complex Machkhowa, Guwahati on Saturday, Animesh Pandit from Shillong won the 7th Fair & Lovely Men Mega Mister North East 2016 title. Besides, Sushanta Rajkumar from Imphal and Colin Jacob Rajan from Guwahati became the 1st and 2nd runners up respectively. The contestants travelled to Guwahati for almost a week of activities which included grooming and training sessions conducted by Mega Entertainment, followed by rehearsals, leading up to the Grand Finale of the biggest Man Hunt of North East India. The pageant has been supported by Reliance Trends, Radisson Blu, Vodafone U, Axe Signature and State Bank of India.
20-year-old Animesh Pandit is a degree final year student studying Biochemistry in St. Anthony’s College, Shillong. Animesh, who did his schooling from St. Edmund’s School, thanked everyone for the support and said that the title will enable him to live up his dreams. “I am very happy today. My dad is a school teacher and mom is a homemaker based in Shillong. I know they will be proud,” said Animesh.
First Runner’s up Sushanta Rajkumar, who hails from Imphal, said that he was happy that his hard work was appreciated by the panel of judges. Sushanta is a BTech second year student, studying in Punjab where his father is an IFS officer.
Studied in Scotland, Colin Jacob Rajan was the second Runner’s up at the 7th Fair & Lovely Men Mega Mister North East 2016. “I am very happy that I could come back from the United States, where I was working, and participate in this competition. I thank the panel of judges for all this and most importantly thank Mega Entertainment and Abhijit Singha for the opportunity,” he said.
7th Fair & Lovely Men Mega Mister North East 2016 Animesh Pandit has won a cash prize of Rs 50,000, gifts from pageant sponsors and an opportunity to become a showstopper during North East Fashion Weekend. He has also won travel opportunities to the South East Asian countries with ICSI, professional representation by Mega Entertainment, portfolio shoot by Rahul’s Spectrum, public relations and reputation management consultancy for one year by Life’s Purple, a Guwahati-based PR and reputation management agency.
The three winners will be offered a professional grooming session, which would guide them further on how to carry themselves forward in the professional sphere. Besides, the winners also get the opportunity to walk the ramp in various national and international shows.
The organizers of the event, Mega Entertainment, had shortlisted 44 men, who vied for the coveted title of Fair & Lovely Men Mega Mister North East 2016. The pageant is inspired by Designer/Fashion Choreographer and the powerhouse of fashion & pageant industry Abhijit Singha.
Abhijit Singha, Founder of Mega Entertainment and Managing Director of Fair & Lovely Men Mega Mister North East 2016, spoke during the crowning ceremony, “Through Fair & Lovely Men Mega Mister North East we look for a young and aspiring talent that is fit, intelligent and driven to be a role model – using his attributes to make a difference in the society. The Man Hunt will not culminate with mere felicitation of the winners. We also make it a mission to give them an international platform from where their dreams can take flight.”
Popular radio jockey of RED FM RJ Nabish hosted this year’s show for the second consecutive time. During the strong competition, the contestants were judged in four segments: traditional wear, Black Suit presentation, Reliance Trends collection and personality interview as they vied for the coveted title of Fair & Lovely Men Mega Mister North East 2016.Samar Sarkar– 2nd Runner-up Mega Mister North East 2015, Dipankar Buragohain– 1st Runner-up Mega Mister North East 2015 and Mega Mister North East 2015Babul Boro felicitated the winners respectively at the conclusion of the pageant.
The judges who sealed the fate of this year’s winner included: Runner Up-Mega Mister North East 2009 and leading fashion designer from Shillong Arif Mukhim; Mega Miss North East 2015 Jessica Marbaniang; Runner Up- Mega Miss North East 2013 and author of ‘Dear Bohemian Man’ Subi Taba; marketing consultant and Brand Head at Kingfisher Naved Qureshi; and Entrepreneur and Hotelier Bobby Singh.
The pageant organizers were also judged for a series of sub-awards. Darshan Singh from Manipur was awarded Fair & Lovely Men Mister Magnetic Personality; Colin Jacob Rajan from Assam won the Reliance Trends Mister Trendy title; Henrik Thokchom from Manipur was given the Radisson Blue Mister Hospitality award;Vodafone U Fast Track Entry Winner, which is selected on the basis of highest number of votes received and allows direct entry into the semi-final, was won by Dhwrwm Swargiary from Assam. Besides, 5 contestants who won direct entry into the semi-finals through the Axe Signature Wildcard Entry winners’category were Colin Jacob Rajan, Darshan Singh, Kunal Dutta, Animesh Pandit and Abhishek Mazumder.
