A fresh faced 19 year old beauty will be winging her way soon to the dark continent of Africa, to Cairo, the capital of Egypt to be precise. As Miss Eco Sri Lanka, Sasindi Nimhara Senanayake will represent her motherland at the sixth edition of Miss Eco International. She will spend 20 days in Egypt where she will travel to various exotic destinations. The grand finale will be on April 10, with around 75 contestants vying for the coveted title.
Mother Nature has been very generous to Sasindi . She has been blessed with a flawless skin, lovely features and a figure as slim as a reed. Sasindi is poised, very confident and articulate, attributes which should stand her in good stead at the contest.
Miss Eco International is not only a beauty pageant, it is a contest which will focus much on eco friendly activities and Sasindi is looking forward to participating in them. She will be taking several eco friendly products, especially, the pan and thal leaf products for which her district, Kalutara, is famous.
On the promotion of tourism, she has done a three minute video clip showcasing Sri Lanka’s tourist attractions including the beautiful beaches fringed with swaying coconut palms. She will also rely on the presentations she is working on right now.
Kinduravi (mermaid) has been the inspiration for Sasindi’s national costume, designed by Amila. It is a white creation, embellished with gold and pearls. Another unique costume for Sasindi to showcase has been created out of coconut shells by Senaka de Silva. It has two large coconut shell brooches on both shoulders. Both dresses are in keeping with the eco theme of the pageant.
Sasindi is currently reading for a degree in Business Management at the SAEGIS campus , an academic institution affiliated to some Scottish universities.
Though still a teenager, Sasindi dreams big. Her ambition is to be a business woman of international standing in the USA but is yet undecided on the areas of business she would focus on.
Sasindi lives in Kalutara with her parents Nilu and Arjuna and younger sister Tenuli. She had her secondary education at Lyceum International School in Panadura where she was involved in dancing and athletics. She was a sprinter in school.
Dancing is a passion with Sasindi and she has learnt to dance from her younger days at Lyceum. Her forte is the traditional Kandyan Dance and the belly dance. “I am a self taught belly dancer” Sasindi said. As a dancer she has toured China, India, Singapore and Malaysia.
As for grooming and maintaining her looks Sasindi relies totally on natural products and her visits to the gym twice a week. She has no special diet and has not restricted herself where food is concerned. Spaghetti bolognaise is her favourite dish.
Sasindi differs from today’s teenagers in that she hates wearing denims. She is a feminist, and loves dresses for evening wear. “I wear glamorous dresses for these events” she said.
Sasindi being a Buddhist, religion plays a big role in her life. There is a shrine in her home where she does her daily devotions. Whenever she gets a chance Sasindi visits the famous Kalutara Bodhiya which is close to her home.