Sunakhi Punjaban Celebrating Punjabi Culture and Empowering Women

Mahesh Dhoundiyal – Delhi

Sunakhi Punjaban, Delhi’s first Punjabi beauty pageant, was established in 2019 to promote Punjabi customs, traditions, and culture. Over the past five seasons, it has emerged as a vibrant beacon, celebrating the rich tapestry of Punjabi culture and enhancing the diverse regional variety and linguistic nuances of Punjab.

The sixth season of Sunakhi Punjaban began with auditions held at Bhartiya Vidyapeeth Institute of Computer Applications and Management, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi. The auditions ran from 11 am to 1 pm, with an additional online round from 8:30 pm onwards for contestants outside Delhi. This season saw a remarkable turnout of 100 participants from Delhi and various regions, including districts of Punjab like Sangrur, Patiala, Taran Taran, Kharar, Gurdaspur, Barnala, Husnar, Mansa, as well as entries from Haryana, Noida, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Banaras, and Mathura.

Esteemed judges for the offline auditions included Adv. Maninder Kaur (Advocate), Author Sherry (Renowned Public Speaker and founder of MS Talks), Dr. Harmeet Kaur (Assistant Professor), Dr. Rattandeep Kaur (Assistant Professor), Davinder Kaur Geet (Delhi State Joint Secretary AAP), and Taranjit Kaur (Phulkari Artist). The online auditions were judged by Gagandeep (Model), Gurjeet Singh (Model), Aazmeen Kaur Kharbanda (Radio Presenter, England UK), and Harpreet Kaur (Sunakhi Punjaban Season 5 Winner). The auditions were anchored by the popular and esteemed anchor, Jasleen Kaur Gotra.
Dr. Avneet Kaur Bhatia, the organizer of Sunakhi Punjaban, has created this platform to preserve and promote Punjabi culture, where contestants’ height, weight, and marital status do not matter, only their talent. The pageant begins with auditions that judge contestants based on their talent and confidence. From these auditions, 25-28 contestants will be selected and groomed for the Grand Finale. The grooming sessions include activities such as yoga classes, ramp walk sessions, and Punjabi language classes.

After months of training, the participants will showcase their talent through dancing, mono acting, singing, and more in the Grand Finale, addressing social issues and advocating for women’s empowerment. Sunakhi Punjaban provides a platform for Punjabi women to present their talent, build a strong community, and promote women’s empowerment. The pageant encourages girl children and gives talented women a chance to recognize their abilities and groom them for a better future.