Gagan Singh
India’s biggest and most prestigious national pageant for men, the Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India 2018 pageant recently concluded on March 10, 2018 at Las Olas Hotel in Baga, Goa. At the conclusion of this extravagant event, Balaji Murugadoss from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu was declared Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India International 2018. He is the first model from Tamil Nadu to win the Rubaru Mr India contest. He will represent India at the Mister International 2019 competition. At the same event, Suraj Dahiya from the national capital city of New Delhi was adjudged Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India 2018 and was presented with an Audi Q3 car. The pageant also awarded three runners up. Dilip Patel from Maharashtra won the first runner up title, Kamlesh Solanki from Tamil Nadu was adjudged second runner up and Gaurav Sharma from Ghaziabad clinched the third runner up award at this renowned fashion event.
(From left to right) Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India (1st Runner up), Dilip Patel; Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India International, Balaji Murugadoss; Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India, Suraj Dahiya; Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India (2nd Runner up), Kamlesh Solanki and Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India (3rd Runner up), Gaurav Sharma.
Suraj Dahiya, Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India 2018.
(From left to right) Gaurav Sharma (Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India 2018 – 3rd Runner up); Kamlesh Solanki (Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India 2018 – 2nd Runner up) and Dilip Patel (Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India 2018 -1st Runner up) .
Rubaru Mr India International 2017, Darasing Khurana with Balaji Murugadoss, Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India International 2018.
In a separate special ceremony, the Indian representatives for upcoming international pageants for men were also announced. Famous Goan model, Dalton D’Souza was declared Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India Model International 2018 and will represent India at the Mister Model International Pageant 2019; Pradeep Kharera from New Delhi was adjudged Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India United Continents 2018 and will represent India at the upcoming Mister United Continents contest; Zulfi Aziz SK from Assam won the Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India Tourism World title and will represent India at Mister Tourism World 2018 competition; Farhan Qureshi from Madhya Pradesh was announced Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India National Universe 2018 and will represent India at this year’s Mister National Universe competition; Ashwani Neeraj from New Delhi won the Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India Eco International award and will represent India at Mister Eco International 2019 pageant and Anjum Varis from New Delhi won Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India Master of the Misters title and will mark India’s debut at the Master of the Misters international pageant to take place in 2019.
The pageant initiated on March 7, 2018 at the La Vida Residency Suites. The candidates were judged on various parameters like confidence, communication skills, fitness, personality and many more. During the pageant, the candidates took part in a series of preliminary events like Formal Wear round, Fitness round, individual interviews, Ethnic wear round and talent round to name a few. These pre-pageant events helped in determining the eventual winners of the show.
Apart from the winners and the runners up, the pageant also awarded special awards to the candidates excelling in different fields or areas. Here is the list of Audi Goa Rubaru Mr India 2018 special award winners.
1. Mister Photogenic – Rishab Smbyal.
2. Mister Popular – Gaurav Kumar Gautam.
3. Mister Talented – Ujjwal Sharma.
4. Mister Friendship – Kalpesh Sharma.
5. Mister Charming Smile – Aditya Singh.
6. Mister Perfect Body – Suraj Malik.
7. Missosology’s People’s Choice Award – Suraj Malik.
8. Mister Fashion Icon – Sagar Kava.
9. Mister Ramp Walk – Rakesh Singh.
10. Mister Elegance – Anuvhav Upadhayay.
11. Best Model – Shiv Sharma.
12. Best Face – Abhishek Ohri.
13. Mister Congeniality – Saurav Thakur.
14. Best in Indian Wear – Kaushal Panchal.
15. Mister Intellectual – Prandeep Bharali
16. Vidur Dikshit – Mister Personality
This was the fifteenth edition of the Rubaru Mr India pageant. On this special occasion, the organizers decided to make the event the most lavish and celebrated one in the pageant’s history. It was for the very first time that the pageant moved to Goa. The Rubaru Group joined hands with Audi Goa as the title sponsor for the event. The pageant commenced on March 7, 2018 at La Vida Residency Suites which was the Hospitality partner for this grand event. The Bina Pujani Hair studio performed a special role for this year’s event. They made these 26 already strikingly and effortlessly handsome men look even more charming and breath-taking as they did all their makeover and hair during the pageant. The talent round of the pageant took place at the Hope Orphanage in Goa. The candidates performed in front of the little ones and they played a crucial role in determining the eventual winner for that round. Hope Orphanage was also the cause partner for the pageant. Apart from that, the candidates also took part in some charitable activities there. The candidates were seen in exquisite Seema Mehta creations during the preliminary rounds and the grand finale of the event as she was the official wardrobe partner for this year’s Mr India pageant. Popular surgeon and celebrity doctor, Dr. Amod Rao was the skin care and wellness expert and conducted a special session with the candidates regarding skin care and nutrition. Wave’s Gym and Norbert were the fitness partner for this year’s pageant and Travel Home was the official transportation partner for the 15th Rubaru Mr India pageant. The candidates were mentored and groomed by two former Rubaru Mr India winners, Akash Chouhary and Siddesh Juvekar. Siddesh “Sid” Juvekar is also the very first Goan to win the Rubaru Mr India title. The pageant was exclusively cover by The Neutral View, as the official media partner.
The responsibility of electing the new winners was given to some of the well-known people from the fashion and showbiz industry. They were,
1. Actor, model, reality TV celebrity and Rubaru Mr India 2016, Akash Choudhary. He was also the show director for the pageant.
2. Famous model, celebrity fashion consultant and Rubaru Mr India International 2017, Darasing Khurana.
3. The vice president of the Rubaru Mr India Organization, Pankaj Kharbanda
4. The owner and the founder of the world’s biggest pageant portal and online magazine, Missosology, Pawee Ventura from the Philippines
5. Ace celebrity designer and the founder of the Seema Mehta – Label of Luxury, Seema Mehta
6. Famous aesthetic surgeon and celebrity doctor, Dr Aamod Rao.
7. Famous model and the winner of India’s Next Top Model (Season 3), Riya Subodh.
8. Famous fashion designer and reality TV celebrity, Rohit Verma.
The Rubaru Mr India pageant is India’s most prestigious and oldest surviving annual pageant for men. The pageant was created by the Rubaru Group, founded and headed by Indian entrepreneur and painter, Sandeep Kumar in year 2004. The Rubaru Group is an NGO and talent promoting organization based in the Northern part of India. The pageant began as a regional modelling competition in the Northern part of India and eventually became the foremost pageant for men in India.
The winners and runners up will represent India internationally in the coming months and will also spend the next 12 months attending various fashion and social events. Apart from organizing the Mister India contest, the Rubaru Group also supports various causes in India. One of the main causes that the organization works for is “women empowerment”. The organization has been making consistent efforts to provide a better life to the less-fortunate.
Over the years, the Rubaru Mr India pageant has produced various prominent male models who have made a mark for themselves in this fascinating world of glitz and glamour.
Image source: Rubaru Group and Rubaru Mister India.
