NEW DELHI: Upasna Gurung, the 26-year-old girl from Nagaland is the first Miss Sake India 2020.
Sae Haruta, Miss Sake Japan 2019 crowned Upasna with the honor as she broke into tears after being announced the winner of the contest at The Kimono Club in New Delhi on February 21.
Sake is a popular Japanese healthy alcoholic beverage made from rice in Japan, and some people call it Japanese rice wine too. However, Sake is slowly gaining ground in India, and Miss Sake India 2020 contest is an attempt to promote Sake here.
Now a Cultural Ambassador to promote Sake, Japanese cuisine, craft and culture, Upasna Gurung has bagged a hoard of awards including a stay in a beautiful hotel in Vietnam.
The Jury included Kenji Sugino, Secretary-General, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in India (JCCII); Bishan Kumar, Editor-in-Chief, Spiritz; Sae Haruta, Miss Sake Japan 2019, TV news anchor Sumaira Khan, and pageant coach and mentor Rita Gangwani.
A total of 14 contestants from across India participated in the event.
In March, Upasna will also share Indian Culture from the stage at the 2020 Miss Sake Japan Finale event in Kyoto, Japan, and will have the opportunity of meeting Miss Sake Cultural Ambassadors from other countries including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Australia, and Shanghai.
She will also be a center of attraction of all activities and events planned around promoting Sake in India besides being invited to official /corporate and diplomatic events.
Fond of singing, painting, and writing, Upasna knows Hindi, Nepali, and English languages and has also visited Nepal and Bhutan.
Earlier, she has also been awarded Miss Talented in a district-level pageant. She is also the proud winner of Miss Confident and a Runner Up at Miss Capital of India 2019.
With this event, India has joined the league of the six nations other than Japan where Miss Sake events are organized.
Mika Onishi, Director, Miss Sake Association said that more and more people in India were liking the taste of Sake, however, it was expensive for many. If the Indian government reduced the customs duty, more and more people would be able to enjoy it, she added.
Mika Onishi is a Master of Sake and WSET Certified Japanese Tea Instructor.
Mika Eoka of Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association said that creating awareness was very important so that more and more people get to know about and enjoy it. For us, India had a huge market. Sake goes very well with Paneer and Chicken Tikka, she added.
Sake also needs education as it’s a very sensitive beverage and develops bad taste if it was not stored in the controlled temperature.
Also read: After Sushi, Japanese rice wine Sake set to make a splash in India, and tickle your taste buds
