Riya of Erode crowned Miss Koovagam at annual Koothandavar festival in Villupuram
The Hindu
Riya from Erode wins Miss Koovagam beauty pageant in Villupuram, celebrating transgender community at Koothandavar festival.
Riya, a transwoman from Erode, was crowned Miss Koovagam at a beauty pageant held in Villupuram on Monday night in connection with the annual Koothandavar festival.
Organised by the South India Transgenders Federation along with the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Social Welfare, the beauty contest saw quite a number of entries.
The contest tested the general knowledge and social awareness of the participants. The contestants’ contribution to the future of the community was also one of the requirements of the event.
Riya was declared the title winner and Megha, from Coimbatore, the first runner-up. Evangeline John of Chennai was the second runner-up. The transpersons were crowned by P. Mohanambal, president of the South India Transgenders Federation.
The annual festival at the the Koothandavar temple attracts hundreds of transpersons from various parts of the country every year, in an occasion that celebrates transgender persons.
Several other events like awareness campaigns and mobile HIV testing were also held as part of the festivities.
The festivities will conclude with a car procession on Wednesday, April 24.
Delhi High Court issues notices on plea challenging appointment of JMI Vice Chancellor, case set for hearing in 2025.
Man arrested for impersonating Oman High Commissioner, creating fake documents for VIP status, owning businesses, and fake university positions.
CPI(M) MP K. Radhakrishnan alleges central agencies target political opponents; ED summons him in bank scam case.
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Friday (March 14, 2025) announced the induction of transgender persons into the Home guard force by giving them appropriate training to carry out tasks such as traffic management and crowd control during festival seasons.
Bollywood star Aamir Khan introduces girlfriend Gauri Spratt, sharing details about their relationship and her background in fashion.
Get set to be mesmerised by Padma Bhushan Begum Parween Sultana, who will perform in Bengaluru this weekend
Get set to be mesmerised by Padma Bhushan Begum Parween Sultana, who will perform in Bengaluru this weekend
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister announces budget for 2025, focusing on archaeological excavations and establishment of cultural museums.
The victims in the incident were street vendors. They sold fruits and flowers in the premises of the old structure.
Over 100-year-old school library in Sawantwadi taluka faces threat from potential mining, sparking environmental and health concerns.
Axar Patel appointed captain of Delhi Capitals for IPL 2025, expressing readiness and confidence in leading the team.
Kochi City police seize 2 kg of ganja, arrest 3 students in overnight raid at Government Polytechnic College hostel.
‘Instead of accusing Gen-Z of lacking skills or discipline, we need to ask what drives them’ Premium
At a recent event held in the city, Cambridge University Press & Assessment launched an advisory panel comprising leaders from top global corporations, aiming to bridge the employability gap in India and better align academic output with industry needs. A whitepaper released at the event highlighted the growing importance of communication skills, the need for stronger collaboration between industry and universities, and strategies to bridge the persistent skill gap.