Annie Rupani is 21 years old from Sugar Land, Texas representing Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. She was crowned Miss Pakistan World 2010 on August 20, 2010 in Toronto, Canada. She is currently studying Religion and Anthropology at Boston University.
She has also studied abroad in London during the fall semester of 2008 and was able to travel to several countries in Western Europe which triggered her fascination for other cultures. She has also been to the Northern Mountainous region of Pakistan through the Rupani Foundation to help in a women’s development initiative of Gem Cutting and Polishing Training Centers.
Annie’s interests include laughing, traveling, and cooking, and the outdoors. She is passionate about the issues that currently affect Pakistan and she hopes that during her year as Miss Pakistan World, she is able to create a lighter image of Pakistan and empower women to pursue their dreams by breaking past traditional stereotypes.
1. How does it feel to be crowned Miss Pakistan World 2010?
It was completely unexpected. I was still in shock when the MC announced my name, but it feels incredible and I am very excited to make this an unforgettable year as Miss Pakistan World 2010.
2. Tell us a bit about your background?
I was born in Austin, Texas and raised in Sugar Land. My parents spent the first part of their lives in Karachi, Pakistan, but moved to the U.S. about thirty years ago. I have two sisters, Natasha and Mona. I am currently studying Religion and Anthropology at Boston University and I will be graduating from university in May of 2011.
3. What is your aim with this title?
My goal as Miss Pakistan World 2010 is to foremost bring awareness to the world about the country of Pakistan, its qualities and imminent needs. Pakistan is a very beautiful country with some of the world’s highest mountain peaks and a history that traces back to one of the world’s first civilizations.
Further, I would like to give other Pakistani women the confidence and motivation to push past the traditional stereotypes, which are holding back the women in our society. I want to prove that a Pakistani woman can be strong and independent and still live within the values of her faith and culture.
4. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
In the next five years, I hope to have gained experience in the U.S. Foreign Service promoting stronger relations with Pakistan and begin pursuing my graduate studies in Law.
5. The pageant was held at a controversial time, of the floods that took many lives in Pakistan. How would you support the pageant’s timings?
I sympathize with the magnanimity of the crisis that has affected over 14 million Pakistanis, and I believe the reason why Pakistan has struggled to quickly overcome this crisis is because of the lack of awareness and support from other countries around the world. We need to create more awareness about Pakistan and call attention to its immediate needs and believe the Pageant is one way of doing just that.
6. The second issue that stirred was that the pageant was held in Ramadan, what are your comments on that?
I believe every woman represented her country with the utmost respect in this pageant. Ramadan is not a month in which Muslims are to completely stop their lives and hold off on their motivations and passions. Ramadan is a month to be celebrated, it is the month in which the Quran was initiated and a month to focus on balancing your physical and spiritual lives so that you may wake up each morning growing from what you learned the day before.
7. Pakistan is such a country where anything and everything sparks controversy, why is that
Unfortunately, a major issue in Pakistan is the lack of education. The literacy rates are very low, especially among women; therefore religious leaders more often than not drive the opinions of people which is also how the Taliban gained power in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The only way to cure this perpetual cycle of controversy is to strengthen the education system in Pakistan.
8. Any words to girls who want to participate in Miss Pakistan World?
I would tell them to go for it! It is an unforgettable experience with a great cause. Come into the pageant with a focus and determination to win, but remember that the experience is about more than that. It is also important to embrace the other girls you will meet, the mentors that you come across, and the new things that you learn about yourself and the country that you hope to represent.
9. You have a whole year ahead of you, what are your personal plans for Miss Pakistan World?
I’m extremely excited to begin my year as Miss Pakistan World 2010 and I hope to use this as a platform to create networking tools between Pakistan women across the U.S. and hopefully the world. I would like to serve as an ambassador for Pakistan as well as serve as a role model for other Pakistan girls.
I hope to further the initiatives of the Rupani Foundation, which gives Pakistani women in the Northern Areas confidence and the ability to be active outside of their homes. Overall, I hope to create awareness about Pakistan and the issues affecting the country such as lack of education, sanitation, and air pollution.
Go back to Miss Pakistan World 2010
Annie Rupani is 21 years old from Sugar Land, Texas representing Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
