Bhubaneswar, Jan. 29: Sarita Pattnaik, who won the Mrs India USA title in December last, wants to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged women and children in Odisha.

"I was born in Bhubaneswar and brought up in Rajgangpur. I know what underprivileged children and women need and I hope to bring smiles to their faces," said Sarita, who was in town.

Fondly known as Rinki, Sarita lives in Atlanta, Georgia, in the US. She won the title at the event held in New Jersey. "It was a great achievement not only for myself but for all Odias, including those living in USA," she said. "My husband was very supportive and helped to prepare for the event."

Sarita is a mother of two. Her husband Satya works for an IT firm in Atlanta and the couple moved to the US 15 years ago.

A qualified interior designer, Sarita said despite the support from her husband, it was not easy for her to step out of home and take part in beauty pageants in the West.

Sarita will now represent the Indian community in the US at Mrs India Worldwide, to be held in Malaysia in October. She said: "I have gained a few pounds in the past month and need to shed a few pounds before the Mrs India Worldwide title," she said.

Sarita intends to use her platform to work for the underprivileged. She said: "I feel my successes will enable me to do something significant for them."

Sarita said she was already engaged with a few philanthropic ventures in Bhubaneswar. A graduate in political science, Sarita did her masters in interior designing from National Institute of Fashion Design, Calcutta.