Michelle — from tomboy to princess

She is considered one of the top beauties in the country but those who knew her when she was ten years old considered her an ordinary child with nerd-like qualities.

The transformation from an ordinary face to a sought-after beauty has not fazed Michelle Khan who will be remembered as the girl from the Southland with the long flowing tresses. She brought recognition to this country when she copped the second runner-up prize in the Miss World Competition in 1994. The slim girl from the south has indeed come a long way. She quit her first job as a clerk in Republic Bank to explore her talents as a model. Today, she is an accomplished model who is often sought after to grace the numerous commercials from international firms. There is one word to describe Khan and that is  “exciting”. She went from a tomboy climbing plum trees and playing cricket to the “2nd Princess of the world”. While the name “Michelle Khan” is associated with beauty and glamour, to the people who knew her back then, she remains that country girl.

More than a reporter, Michelle met a former dance and drama tutor in this writer. She smiled mischievously as she recalled the days when she was just 10 years old playing hide and seek. Hiding in the drains and in fig-patches. “I think that my upbringing had a lot to do with my success as a representative of this country in an international show. It was not about just being the most beautiful girl in the world but more so, the style and attitude of a young woman of a small country called Trinidad and Tobago,” she said. She noted that growing up a rural district has worked wonders for her.

As a child growing up in Cedar Hill Village, she was not considered to be a beautiful person. She had unshapely teeth and huge glasses that were a turn off. Boys did not look her way at all. But young Michelle had a thing for competition and she was determined to prove that she was as beautiful as the girls she saw on TV.  Michelle started on a journey that took her into the Miss Princes Town pageant. She became a queen at the age of 18. Having taken the title her parents, Lazina and Yusuff Khan were happy that she accomplished a dream and she would now settle down and believed attaining a good paying job, marry and start a family of her own. Her win at the local competition only opened her appetite for something bigger. Secretly she contacted the people at Miss Maja and was on her way to the this competition. While her father did not approve, she was determined to win the local competition.

The judges were blown away by her long hair that touched her knees. She was outspoken and confident. It is no surprised that she won the title and eventually represented TT at the Caribbean competition in Barbados. Michelle had her eye on the Miss Caribbean title and while she was not “pushy” she showed a greater confidence at this competition, which she won. It went from Miss Princes Town to Miss Maja and Miss Caribbean. It was now time to try her hands at the Miss World pageant. She was selected by Kim Sabeeney and was on her way to South Africa. While in London, Michelle went through a great deal of mental anguish as promoters of the show demanded a visa from her to enter South Africa. She had none and it was clear that she could not enter the country. She went up to a total stranger and explained her problem. The British guy was willing to help her. He took her to the TT Embassy in London and got a letter to enter the competition. When she arrived in South Africa, she had to do her own make-up and wardrobe. She stayed up way into the night reading herself for the preliminary judging. Despite the pains she had a smile ready and waiting whenever she was called upon. While all the other delegates had helpers to assist them, Michelle had to do everything on her own. “At one point in time I thought I should just get over with the competition and go home. I was so frustrated. When my name was called for the top ten. I had butterflies coming out of my mouth. I was in a state of shock. It took me a minute to move from my position. Then I was in the final five.

I thought the pain and pressure was now paying off.” She remembered the competition as if it was just yesterday. She became the 2nd runner up to the crown and the “2nd Princess of the world.” The title brought her tremendous gains as she did advertisements for big-named companies like Fila that payed such sums as $15,000 US. Today, Michelle works as a coordinator with Island Events and does international modelling. She is curently concentrating on the Carnival band “Jungle Fever” which is being produced by Douglas Gorden and Jason Alcatara of Island Events, with designs by Peter Elias. She noted that she loves to see people enjoy a good time. This is why she went into events planning. One of the crowning moments in her life was meet  Former South Africa President and Human Rights Leader Nelson Mandela. She was preparing herself for the moment but when she touched his hands she had to cry. She knew he was the one person who sacrificed everything to have the blacks accepted in their own country of South Africa. Michelle Khan remains a beautiful girl with a warm and friendly personality. The little girl from Cedar Hill has indeed come a long way.