Speaking to reporters here, Vikas Jain, Director, 100% Media and Entertainment, said, "We hosted the Miss Bengal in 2013 but this time we have planned to host East Diva where all the 11 East and North Eastern states will participate."

After the initial selection, where each state will have 3 participants, 33 participants will come down to Kolkata for the preliminary and the finale round.

The selection will be conducted in the capital of these 11 states with Ranchi being the venue for both Jharkhand and Bihar. For West Bengal, the selection rounds will be held in two places, Siliguri and Kolkata.

The 33 participants will go through a talent round where with further elimination the remaining will advance to a swimwear round. The final 15 members will be drafted for the finale which will be held on Feb 14 in the 'City of Joy'.

When asked about the judges, Jain said, "Though we haven't finalised anything as of yet, we are thinking about Swastika Mukherjee, Koel Mallick and Mimi Chakraborty."

The winner of the pageant will also be signed as the brand ambassador of L'amar.

Jain said that they will also be providing the finalists with grooming lessons and even might provide some with endorsement deals.

Jeetendra Suri, CIO, L'amar Group said that they are a new brand in India and is slowly looking to foray into the east India market.          


(Reporting by Sudipto Maity)