Mangalore: Three from City for Pantaloons Femina Miss India South 2010 Prelims 
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (RS/SB)  

Mangalore, Nov 17: The audition round of the Pantaloons Femina Miss India South 2010 pageant began in Mangalore on Tuesday November 17. Namitha Shetty (21), Sara Dhillon (22) and Sonia Shetty (23) have been selected to compete in the elimination round to be held at Hyderabad International Convention Centre in Hyderabad December 7, 2009. 

Briefing about the audition round, Pantaloons Femina Miss India Universe 2009 Ekta Choudhary said that there were seven contestants from the city, who were shortlisted for the audition round. The selection was done on the basis of pre-requisite criterion such as age, looks and height, she said adding that all the selected three have a bright future with their natural beauty. 

Etka said that this was her first stint as a judge and it was quite challenging to hand pick the right candidates, since she too was on the other side of the judging process last year and thus understand the girls. 

Ekta was in-charge of assessing and scrutinizing each contestant. Lots of applicants were at the venue on the first day auditions, out of which only a few were selected by the selection on the second day.

About Three Finalists from City  

Namitha Shetty is a 21-year-old model and mass communications postgraduate with specialization in advertising. She hails from Maravoor. 

Sara Dhillon, aged 22 years is in Manipal under clinical rotations in KMC International Centre after her studies in United States. 

Sonia Shetty is a 23-year-old MBA, who is engaged in business in Mumbai. She hails from an agrivultural family in Yekkar near Bajpe. She stands 6.1 ft tall.   

After the elimination round, selected contestants will undergo residential training for ten days starting Dec 13 at Novotel in Hyderabad. The Miss India South grand finale at HICC will be on December 23, 2009.