First Mrs India Worldwide - Namita Dodwadkar

Namita Dodwadkar- a girl with dreams in her eyes and determination in her mind, carrying her intelligence and immense talent with grace and poise. A girl who is born and brought up in Pune, Maharashtra India, came to United States in 2007 for higher education. I am sharing her story here which I saw and 'Miss India New England' is very proud to share the fact that her journey for grand success began with us.

In 2012 when I began as state director of 'Miss India USA' for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, I received a call from her interested in taking part in pageant. She was in Massachusetts completing her PhD from Northeastern University and seemed very keen as we went on talking on phone. Although I informed her about having missed first rehearsal, she insisted she really wanted to do it, so she was there next day at second rehearsal. 'Such a beautiful face'- a few girls must have thought as they asked this girl was not there at first one. I simply said, my work is to make participation for girls of New England area possible and not the other way. If she wants to, she should. She became a finalist at 2012 pageant, and also voted 'Miss Viewer's Choice'.

Namita Dodwadkar

Namita Dodwadkar at Miss India New England-2012 in Chestnut Hill MA, voted Miss Viewer's Choice
A picture by Iggy Barskov

In 2013, she had plans to get married, but she came to support the pageant and volunteered backstage, standing with me for hours. That was the year when Monica Gill won 'Miss India New England' and Shirin Bakre won 'Miss India Teen New England'.

In 2014, there was a new category added 'Mrs India of New England' and our community received the idea with warmth and Namita participated in that among 17 other contestants. It was highly competitive that year and she stood as 'Mrs Photogenic' and also presented a bollywood dance first time on 'Mrs India of New England' stage. Talent was not getting any scores in Mrs category but judges and audience did not stop talking about it. She never missed any rehearsal that year and when I talked to her about her participation in 'Mrs India USA'-2014, I saw determination and confusion both at the same time. Then we planned to change her ethnic dress and little bit of introduction. It was first Mrs India USA, so nothing was clear but ethnic dress round and some other parts of nationals preparation is what could be compared to Miss India USA, and Miss Teen India USA. On the day of finale, she came to my room and asked if this look works, and then told me what she was going to say on stage. I remember telling her that night 'You look like a winner to me, Namita'. She was wearing a blue saree that we chose together and we planned to pin the pallu in a certain way so that any possible designer sitting in judging panel would fall in love with the outfit. She won that night and became first ever 'Mrs India USA'. It was a very big news for our pageant and Massachusetts, New England states. This is because Monica Gill won Miss India USA in 2013 and also won Miss India Worldwide in 2014. On talent night I received award for being 'State Director of the Year', and then Namita's win at nationals on the night of finale. After a month she called to tell me how she saw me jumping in excitement on Malayalam TV recording of Mrs India USA when she was announced a winner.

Namita Dodwadkar at Miss India New England-2014, photo by Nandish Desai

1st ever Mrs India USA -2014 at Royal Albert's Hotel in New Jersey with Worldwide pageants chairman Dr Dharmatma Saran and State Director Ruchika Arora

Chairman of Worldwide pageants Dr Dharmatma Saran and Mrs Neelam Saran soon realized her bollywood talent when they invited her to perform at Metropolitan Museum Gala. I remember discussing with them about Namita and her bollywood talent, her latin dance skills and how she was an instructor and also has a fabulous dance partner who is ready to work step by step with her, and that is her husband Nandish Desai. 

Namita is a scientist at Novartis, but also a latin dance instructor for past five years at Matei dance school in Cambridge. As Mrs India USA-2014, she was invited for performing at several prestigious events including some international travel. She was also invited to lead India Day Parade in New York, judged 'Miss India New England'-2015, and 'Miss India USA'-2015. She would always meet you as calm and friendly person and it is hard to recognize her accolades till someone else mentions.

Namita Dodwadkar with Satya Shaw and Meenakshi Sheshadri after being crowned as 'Mrs India Worldwide'-2016

Namita Dodwadkar-Mrs India Worldwide-2016
and Kareena Kohli -Miss India Worldwide-2016

One year passed by, and on 25th anniversary on 'Miss India Worldwide' in 2016, Worldwide pageants decided to begin a new representation for the woman of now - a married woman who still has charm, personality, knowledge and confidence and freedom to dream and move ahead to fulfill them. Namita Dodwadkar registered herself and started preparing. Then I met her for three hours on a Saturday. I was so surprised to see how focussed she was, and how much she again wanted to do her best. I saw one thing with Monica Gill's win at nationals and worldwide- attention to detail, and that is what I told Namita. Namita had so much experience by this time, but she still discussed each round and her preparation, and she was willing to receive any advice. Within one hour, I couldn't hide my opinion about her proposed clothes, and introduction, and on stage questions. I knew that worldwide will not be easy. It was a week long pageant from October 3rd to 9th at Royal Albert's Palace Hotel in New Jersey and celebrities like Sandeep Soparkar and Alesia Raut were going to be there for choreography and catwalk direction, delegates were coming from 25 countries, TV actor Manav Gohil was going to emcee with former Miss India Worldwide Anuradha Maharaj, Nia Sharma, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Satya Shaw, Mr H.R.Shah and TV Asia, Malayalam TV, multiple media/TV crews were going to be present. 

Exquisite Indian dresses worn by Namita Dodwadkar
and Kareena Kohli- both winners at 1st Mrs India Worldwide
and 25th Miss India Worldwide.

The talent night was mesmerizing on October 6th and evening gown round was also done for Mrs category. The competition looked more difficult this time than I earlier thought. She came to meet me after evening gown and asked me one question that someone will ask only if they have gone through all the list of preparation I usually send to our contestants. That kind of detailed question so close to finale, I immediately thought of Monica Gill. Half of the winning consists of your ability to understand pageant, and all its rounds and sequence of events, also presuming the amount of fatigue rehearsals will give you, and nervousness you will face when you are announced a finalist. Makeup, hair, clothes- all of them carry a message with them, a fine choice may lead to a fine end. Her question told me one thing, she prepared well.

When I saw her at the finale with other contestants of her group, she kept smiling with confidence, looked radiant in silver blouse, blue lehenga, a perfect hair and perfect attitude. She was clearly standing out among all others. During on-stage question round as a finalist, she was asked her biggest fear and she mentioned how she always feared marriage, and how her opinion has changed as she is able to work on her goals and fulfill her dreams while gaining support from her husband and inlaws.

On October 9th, 2016, Namita Dodwadkar became the first ever 'Mrs India Worldwide' winner. This blogpost is written in celebration of her win. I want to congratulate Namita Dodwadkar  from Massachusetts for winning Mrs India Worldwide 2016 and Kareena Kohli from New York for winning Miss India Worldwide-2016. The celebration is also about her four year journey with the most prestigious Indian pageant system of the world. This is also written to congratulate Dr Dharmatma Saran and Mrs Neelam Saran, and their associates on 25th anniversary of Miss India Worldwide/ Worldwide Pageant system.