Hammasa Kohistani

Hammasa Kohistani
Kohistani during Miss England 2006
Born Hammasa Kohistani
(1987-12-19) 19 December 1987
Tashkent, Uzbekistan SSR, Soviet Union[1]
Residence Southall, Greater London, England
Title Miss England 2005
Beauty pageant titleholder
Hair color Brown
Eye color Hazel
Major
competition(s)		 Miss England 2005
Miss World 2005

Hammasa Kohistani (Dari: حماسه کوهستانی‎, born 19 December 1987) is a British model, who became the first Muslim beauty contestant to be crowned Miss England in 2005. She won the title at the age of 18, following a two-day competition at Liverpool's Olympia Theatre on 3 September 2005, and was chosen from 40 contestants.

Biography

Kohistani was born in 1987 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, when it was part of the USSR while her parents were living there as Afghan refugees. During the Soviet-Afghan War her parents fled to what was then the Uzbek SSR in the Soviet Union. She and her parents later returned to Kabul, Afghanistan, but in 1996 they escaped from there when the Taliban took control of the city. They eventually made it to the United Kingdom and settled in Southall, in West London, where her father Kushal set up a fast food restaurant.[2][3]

Kohistani is of ethnic Tajik background and speaks six languages, including English, Russian and Persian.[1]

She won the competition dressed in an ivory white chiffon and silk ball gown. She later said "When they announced that I had won, I thought I had misheard. I hoped I hadn't, but it took a few seconds to sink in."[1]

She also said that she was "happy to make history," that "I'm making history and I'm very happy. Hopefully I won't be the last" and that she was looking forward to representing England in the Miss World championships.[1]

She was known as "Miss Maya" after the Asian fashion house which sponsored her, and was reportedly offered a part in a forthcoming Bollywood movie.[1]

The Miss England competition included another Muslim, Sarah Mendly, who had been voted Miss Nottingham. Her entry had caused controversy, since contestants typically wear swimming costumes, and she was called upon to pull out of the contest by the Liverpool Islamic Institute.[1]

Kohistani represented England in the Miss World championships in China in December 2005 but despite being one of the favourites, she failed to advance to the semifinal of 16.[3]

Kohistani studied in London and attended Lampton School in Hounslow.,[3] and was a student at Uxbridge College.

After Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke to members of parliament on the anniversary of the 7 July 2005 London bombings, saying that Muslims needed to speak out more against Islamic extremism, Kohistani criticised the government as stirring up animosity against Muslims. Discussing her experience of being Miss England, she said, "At first it was quite rewarding and I enjoyed it. But after the first 200 interviews, I realised that it was all about me being Muslim; no one wanted to know my favourite movie or favourite food and other usual Miss England questions."[2][4]

Kohistani was featured in Teen Vogue magazine in May 2006.

One of Kohistani's portraits on stock photo site Getty Images was used as the basis for the face of the extraterrestrial character Tali'Zorah from the Mass Effect series of video games.[5][6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "First Muslim Miss England crowned". BBC News. 4 September 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  2. 1 2 Akbar, Arifa (1 September 2006). "Message to middle England: 'We don't all wear burqas'". The Independent. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 "History made by UK Muslim model". BBC News. 10 December 2005. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  4. ↑ Hassan, Farsuda (31 August 2006). "Beauty queen enters Islamophobia debate". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYOeaV0Daic&feature=youtu.be
  6. ↑ http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/photo/hammasa-royalty-free-image/123488108
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Danielle Lloyd		 Miss England
2005		 Succeeded by
Eleanor Glynn

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