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Only Indian in Miss America doesn't make it, but she has no regrets

Shoha Parekh considers herself fortunate: She feels not only does she possess the right mix of beauty and brains but recently she also had a platform to voice her cause. A talented documentary photographer, the 24 year old is actively involved with the Boys and Girls Club in Newark, Delaware, where she lives.

As the reigning Miss Delaware, Parekh was one of 51 contestants competing for the Miss America title on Saturday. Though she was eliminated early, Parekh learned something valuable -- that a woman participating in a beauty pageant can be more than simply look beautiful and flash a wide smile on cue. She can also be well-rounded and active in social causes, Parekh has come to know.

"Up until June 8 when I won Miss Delaware, I felt that the Miss America would be a tall, leggy, blonde," she said. "But that's not the case when you meet the other contestants and see how passionate they are about their cause."

Like Parekh, Miss Illinois Erika Harold has found the right balance between beauty and brains. Harold, who put away attending the Harvard Law School for a year so that she could participate in the beauty contest, was crowned Miss America 2003.

With a raucous crowd of 14,000 cheering the moment her name was called, Harold, who was wearing a white full-length dress, was trembling with excitement as she fought to gain her composure. Outgoing Miss America Katie Harman crowned Harold as host Wayne Brady called her name.

Harold, a 22-year-old Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Illinois, said she would use her crown to promote her social platform of empowering youth against violence. There have been several disturbing cases of youth violence in recent years, including the Columbine High School incident that grabbed the nation's attention in the summer of 1999.

Harold, who said she was bullied in school, added it was important for her to work towards preventing such troubling incidents: "If a Miss America can be bullied, then anyone can be. I want kids to be able to break that cycle. We have to work as a country towards the way we view violence."

Harold plans to study public interest law and public policy at Harvard. But that will have to wait for another year. For the next few months she will be busy making appearances as well promoting her cause.

For many years, Miss America has tackled an image problem that many of its winners and participants are white. But this year, the contestants were from different races. In addition to an Indian American, six African Americans also took the stage.

Harold's father is white and her mother part black and Native American. She also spoke about growing up in a mixed household during her question and answer. But what may have sealed the deal were her knowledge of history and contemporary culture and a rousing rendition of Habanera from Bizet's opera, Carmen.

Miss Alabama Scarlotte Deupree, Miss Oklahoma Casey Preslar, Miss Nevada Teresa Francisca Benitez and Miss Maryland Camille Lewis were the runners-up.

Despite many additions to the event such as viewer participation and 46 pageant contestants who voted on whom they wanted to see crowned, the ratings were a wash. The ABC network won the evening ratings battle with a 7.5/14 share, but it was the lowest ever figures for a Miss America telecast in its 81 years.

Harold will spend the next few days soaking in the experience as she takes on her next challenge. But what will Parekh do next now that she out of the spotlight?

"It's disappointing that I didn't make it to the end," she said. "When you prepare so much, there's a let down. But there's a bigger plan for me. My life takes a different turn every few months. I will look for the next phase."

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