On June 12, the Karnataka Social Club Bahrain turned its Manama venue into a vibrant stage for the annual Prince and Princess Contest, drawing about 35 children from the local Mangalorean community.
Celebrating more than fifty years of cultural activities, the club designed the pageant to give youngsters a larger platform to display confidence and talent. Participants were split into two groups: ages 4–8 and 8–12.
Younger contestants strutted the runway under the guidance of Ms. Ferrel Rodrigues, a Bahrain-based beauty queen who won the Kudlotsava Beauty Pageant last year. Music spun by DJ Francy set a lively rhythm as the little ones walked the catwalk.
For the older age bracket, former contestant Aliyana Pereira led the children onto the stage, urging them to project poise and presence. While judges tallied scores, the audience enjoyed a lively game called Iski Topi Uske Sar, where participants passed hats and faced elimination when the music halted.
The programme also honoured athletes, with the Sports Secretary presenting medals to winners of earlier sporting events. A line‑dancing segment followed, featuring popular tracks such as Achy Breaky Heart and Shalalalala.
Judging duties were handled by Sandhya D'Souza and Karen Pinto, who praised all entrants for their exceptional performances. In the junior category, Thalia Fernandes earned the Little Princess crown and Anvik R. Bhandari was named Little Prince; Aurelia Pinto and Stanvil D'Souza placed as runners‑up. The senior division saw Sadie Lobo crowned Princess and Warren Aranha crowned Prince, with Annora D'Mello and Deon D'Sa as runners‑up.
Special recognitions went to Raisil Nazareth for Best Smile and Giselle Danthis as Rising Star. The winners received their sashes from Club President Cletus Rodrigues and Assistant General Secretary Herman D'Souza, and were crowned by Ms. Michelle D'Souza, holder of titles Indian Club May Queen 2025, Miss Arabia International 2026 and Runner‑Up Woman of the Month. The celebration concluded with a memorable photo session among proud parents, participants and winners.
Image for illustration purposes only
📰 Source: Mangalorean Gulf