Aryana Neo is competing in Mrs Galaxy International in Orlando. After placing top 4 last year, she is aiming to go back better than ever this year.
She is a radio and television presenter, a PQ trade mark attorney a keynote speaker and also Mrs Galaxy UK 2022. She has been raising money for Southampton Hospital charity and working with them on events. Her platform is about promoting diversity and culture, through communication and leadership. She is a female empowerment advocate and helps South Asian girls and women across the UK with their confidence and communication skills, through my media and presenting techniques.
Aryana is a British Asian, Hindu Punjabi, and was the 1st British Asian to win Mrs Galaxy UK 2022, and represented England as she is returning this year.
How was your experience in winning Mrs Galaxy England 2023?
Well, I won Mrs Galaxy UK 2021, and due to placing so highly last year at internationals and in the top 4, I was able to go back this year. So I was recrowned as Mrs Galaxy England, so the new winners could go as the UK team. So we are one large team out in the USA. It felt incredible to be recrowned as I had Indian Dhol drummers come out at the end of my speech, answering the crowd loved it! It was a burst of my culture on a UK stage and that’s never been done before in pageantry. It has been coined iconic! And I am so grateful to be able to recompete at internationals again.
What does it feel like to make it to another international pageant and compete against women worldwide?
It feels like such a privilege and I am so grateful to be back at the international pageant! I am actually here right now in Orlando Florida as I write this!
This is so important to me and has become such a huge part of my life. I couldn’t imagine not being a part of this incredible sisterhood and pageant community. Being a galaxy girl is really like no other. And I have made friends from all across the world! Australia, USA, India, Portugal and Canada. There are so many great people here, and I am proud to get to know each and every one of them.
What kind of support do you have from your family to win?
My support network has been amazing! My family are behind me all the way, and my husband especially is routing for me. He knows how hard I have worked this year and during my time as a national Galaxy title holder. The message I am trying to get across through promoting diversity and celebrating culture, and the amount of charity funds I have raised, which have now surpassed 21,000 pounds!
I am partnered with an incredible charity Southampton Hospital charity and an ambassador for their connected hospital Charity, Ronald McDonald House Charities, It has taken me 4 years of consistent work and dedication to prove that I am a good partner for them to entrust as an ambassador and partner.
My family and friends are so proud of everything I have achieved, and I feel their love and support unconditionally. I would just love to make them even prouder and take home the international title and be the first British Asian to win the Mrs Galaxy title.
What does it take to prepare yourself for such competitions?
It takes a lot of dedication and commitment. Your work should be consistent and have an impact, as well as taking your pageant sisters and community along with you. That’s hugely important because if you win, you want people to be happy for you and feel they have been a part of your win. And I am proud that I have taken my pageant community along with me. They have supported me in my charity events, I hold an annual Bollywood beautiful event so I can bring my culture to them and pageantry to my hometown. We raised £1182 for Southampton Hospital charities in 4 hours! Everyone loves the Bollywood theme and gets involved, and my dhol drummers always go down well at the event and create a party atmosphere.
It’s also about being ready mentally, emotionally and physically. Galaxy pageants don’t have a height or weight restriction, so it's about feeling confident on stage for me, I am a shapely woman with curves that I am proud of, and my husband and I have been working out most days for the past year, to really make me feel my best on stage.
There is also getting prepared for your interview round, where the judges get to know the real you. So making appearances and really understanding your platform is key, so you can get that across to them.
Plus, the outfits are good to prepare as well. This year I have made my own swimsuit, which has been a labour of love and depicts the national bird of India, the peacock. My fashion wear is elegant and shows my culture off, and my evening gown is truly special, as it is one from my wedding day.
Why should more South Asian women participate in such pageants?
More South Asian women should compete in pageantry because it’s important for the younger generations to see their representation of themselves on national and international stages. I am proud to have won as the first British Asian in the UK, and I am hoping to do that on an international scale.
I personally have helped many young South Asian girls get into pageantry, and I have influenced a lot of others too. I know this as they contact me, ask my advice and I always say to try one, because they will never look back! Pageantry is like a beautiful adventure and you see girls transform into beautiful butterflies and more confident in their own skin.
I inspired so many, and I want those to continue to inspire many as well.
South Asian women are incredibly talented, and I feel as though our backgrounds and cultures really shine in pageantry, and so they should. We should celebrate everyone’s accomplishments and cultures.
So anyone please do message me! I would be happy to speak to you about Galaxy, and entering pageants.
Instagrams - @mrsgalaxyengland and my presenter Instagram is @aryanapresenter
