Preeti Kumari was declared the Nanhi Pari at KKIT, Bhunaneswar. She received Rs 15,000 in cash and a gift hamper worth Rs 10,000.

Chakradharpur, April 10: Standing with poise and handling questions with confidence before the likes of Sridevi, Jimmy Shergill and Neha Dhupia, only to name a few, is not an easy task. But this 13-year-old has not only done that but has also won a Miss India crown and is raring to go.

Priti Kumari was crowned the Nanhi Pari at the Miss India 2007 contest held at the Kalinga Institute of Information Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar, for contestants between aged nine and 14. She will represent the country in the Miss Universe pageant to be held later this year.

The Patna-born teenager who stays with her maternal uncle and grandparents in Porter Kholi was the first to win the title from the state in the seventh edition of the national-level contest. The victory for the Class VII student was unbelievable but her reaction was quite similar to the Sushmita Sens and Priyanka Chopras. “I was awestruck. It was unbelievable that I won among so many,” said an excited Priti over the phone from Bhubaneswar.

From April 6 onwards Priti was seen rehearsing with 42 other contestants and was judged by Sunil Pal, Amrita Arora, Sridevi and Boney Kapoor and Jimmy Shergill in the initial rounds. Only 10 made it to the April 8 finals where Neha Dhupia, Chunkey Pandey and Mahima Chowdhary crowned Priti Nanhi Pari. Performance in the group discussion, general knowledge, hidden talent, thematic appreciation, catwalk and the regional dance rounds were used as a medium to judge the contestants.

Priti, who danced on Jharkhand Ki Gori was a bundle of nerves during her performance but took it as a challenge. A student of St Xavier’s High School in Chakradharpur, she has done her alma mater proud, said principal Fr Alex Dodrai.

The reigning queen can now look forward to a grand welcome from her neighbours and family.