Sunakhi Punjaban: Celebrating Punjabi Culture and Empowering Women

Sunakhi Punjaban, Delhi’s first Punjabi beauty pageant, was established in 2019 to promote Punjabi customs, traditions, and culture. Over the past five seasons, it emerged as a vibrant beacon, celebrating the rich tapestry of Punjabi culture and enhancing the diverse regional variety and linguistic nuances of Punjab.

The sixth season of Sunakhi Punjaban held at Bhartiya Vidyapeeth Institute of Computer Applications and Management, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi. This season saw a remarkable turnout of 100 participants from Delhi and various regions, including districts of Punjab like Sangrur, Patiala, Taran Taran, Kharar, Gurdaspur, Barnala, Husnar, Mansa, as well as entries from Haryana, Noida, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Banaras, and Mathura.

Esteemed judges for the offline auditions included Adv. Maninder Kaur (Advocate), Author Sherry (Renowned Public Speaker and founder of MS Talks), Dr. Harmeet Kaur (Assistant Professor), Dr. Rattandeep Kaur (Assistant Professor), Davinder Kaur Geet (Delhi State Joint Secretary AAP), and Taranjit Kaur (Phulkari Artist). The online auditions were judged by Gagandeep (Model), Gurjeet Singh (Model), Aazmeen Kaur Kharbanda (Radio Presenter, England UK), and Harpreet Kaur (Sunakhi Punjaban Season 5 Winner). The auditions were anchored by the popular and esteemed anchor, Jasleen Kaur Gotra.

Dr. Avneet Kaur Bhatia, the organizer of Sunakhi Punjaban, created this platform to preserve and promote Punjabi culture, where contestants’ height, weight, and marital status did not matter, only their talent. The pageant began with auditions that judged contestants based on their talent and confidence. From these auditions, 25-28 contestants were selected and groomed for the Grand Finale. The grooming sessions included activities such as yoga classes, ramp walk sessions, and Punjabi language classes.

After months of training, the participants showcased their talent through dancing, mono acting, singing, and more in the Grand Finale, addressing social issues and advocating for women’s empowerment. Sunakhi Punjaban provided a platform for Punjabi women to present their talent, build a strong community, and promote women’s empowerment. The pageant encouraged girl children and gave talented women a chance to recognize their abilities and groom them for a better future.