Life & Style

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Miss Teen Winnipeg to help welcome new Canadians

By: Lindsey Wiebe

30/06/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 1

BORIS.MINKEVICH@FREEPRESS.MB.CA Anjali Maharaj Sandhu holds an old Free Press with her front-page photo taken when she was seven months old. (BORIS MINKEVICH)

Anjali Maharaj Sandhu was just seven months old when she appeared on the cover of the Free Press, beaming and waving a flag at a Canada Day citizenship ceremony in 1993.This Canada Day, the 16-year-old will help welcome a group of new Canadians at another citizenship ceremony, this time representing the city as Miss Teen Winnipeg-World.

"I think it's really exciting for me, because I'm a first-generation Canadian," said Sandhu, a student at St. Mary's Academy.

Sandhu likes physics, English and drama, and she's a brown belt in karate. The Grade 11 student also loves pageants, and entered the Miss Teen Manitoba-World contest at the urging of her friends.

"I'm probably the biggest pageant fan in Winnipeg," she said.

Sandhu landed the Winnipeg title earlier this year, and will compete against more than 50 other national finalists in July for the national crown. She credits her grandmother with sparking her interest in pageantry.

"Every time Miss Universe is on, she always calls me and tells me," she said.

Sandhu's parents didn't get their citizenship at the 1993 ceremony -- her mother was there to support others -- but Sandhu said she's looking forward to attending the ceremony this Canada Day.

"I really commend what they do to become citizens, and they work really hard," said Sandhu, who'll wear her crown and an official sash over a red sari for the occasion.

The Miss Teen Canada-World pageant is set for July 25. Winners will take home $25,000 in cash and prizes, and the top winner will compete in Texas for the Miss Teen World crown.

lindsey.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 30, 2009 B3

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