Kohima, Oct. 9: Newly-crowned Miss Nagaland Sentila Pongen is young, bold and beautiful. And ready to prove to the world that Naga women have finally arrived.

Sentila, who was crowned Miss Nagaland, 2003, at a dazzling show of glamour and glitz in the state academy hall here last night, feels that Naga women are capable of adjusting to anything and anywhere.

“Women should enter politics. We should not keep on doing what our forefathers did. The world is changing and the women advancing, too,” says Sentila, who regrets the absence of women legislators in the state.

Sentila, however, claims that she is not much of a rebel. “I want to be more patriotic,” she says. The Miss Nagaland contest, organised by the Beauty and Aesthetics Society of Nagaland since 1989, is evidence of Nagaland’s rising connections with the rest of the world. Altogether 18 contestants from different parts of the state took part in the contest.

Sentila, who went home with a cash prize of Rs 40,000, vows to spend 10 per cent of it to highlight “the glory of the Lord”.

Alomi Sumi and Nothono Khraho emerged as the first and second runners-up respectively.

The other crowns included Miss Photogenic, Miss Congeniality, Miss Perfect 10 and a Nagaland Post Readers' Choice award Pepsi model Sharon Longchari compered the show, while Maken Imcha, who was part of the Benetton campaign in India, stunned the audience with some breathtaking ensembles. Fur and paper, crepe and Naga designs blended into a fusion that appears to be catching up with the youth here. Significantly, though, everything, including the most outrageous design, was wearable.Music by Vilenuo and Nagaland’s own child prodigy, Kaka Kikon, enthralled the audience.

Kaka has cleared the level VIII examination in piano from Trinity College, London.