Shamita Singha is a fashion model, television anchor, animal rights activist, VJ and a beauty queen who represented India at the first edition of Miss Earth beauty pageant in 2001. She was placed at the Top 10 at the end of the event finale along with winning awards for Miss Personality and best in National Costume. She is known as the first Indian to represent the country at an Miss Earth pageant.
Shamita was crowned Femina Miss Earth India 2001 and was eligible to represent the country at the very first edition of Miss Earth 2001 on 28th October 2001 at the University of the Philippines Theatre in Quezon City, Philippines. Catharina Svensson from Denmark was crowned as the queen at the end of the event finale but Shamita was appreciated for her performance throughout the competition. She was strong, confident, and determined to win but unfortunately was placed at the Top 10 position.
The gorgeous looking Shamita stepped into the pageant world in 1999 and since then she worked for many ad campaigns and runway shows. After becoming Miss Earth India 2001, she went on to win five subtitles at the same beauty pageant and from that moment on she shot to fame. After her reign as Miss Earth India 2001 ended, she decided to become a professional model in India. She walked for the best of designers during fashion weeks and tours, hosted shows, and participated in the associated ground events overseas through B4U television network.She modelled for Levis, Electrolux, and Platinum Jewellery. She participated in fashion shows for designers like Manish Malhotra and Ritu Kumar. She was a star in Motorola television commercial with Indian actor and film producer, Abhishek Bachchan.
Shamita’s interest towards beauty pageants was also directed from her desire to work for the animals and spread awareness about the environment. So, while her reign and after it ended, she worked for animal welfare organization and is a trustee on the Animal Welfare Board of India and funds an organisation called Nature and Animal Care Foundation. During one of her campaign shoots for PETA Dishoom, the youth division of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in India, the diva posed with red chillies on the bed with a tagline, “Spice Up Your Life- Go Vegetarian”. Shamita talked about going vegetarian and showing compassion to all the Earth’s inhabitants. “I turned vegetarian when I was quite young because I realised that if I really love animals, then I can’t eat them”, Shamita said.
She was also the judge at a fashion show in Mumbai in 2003 and intervened when she saw a bare-chested model walk on the ramp with a pair of pythons entwined around his neck. She also posed next to a 40-foot killer whale in 2006 for the Kingfisher's Swimsuit Special Calendar 2007. She started hosting and anchoring in 2007 for a show called, “Maximum Style” designed to connect with the upmarket home audiences and dealt with the fickle fashion, lifestyle, interiors, and exotic places to visit in the city.
Singha is a wine enthusiast turned wine trainer as she took up introductory & intermediate wine tasting courses and obtained WSET Level 2 certification in wine & spirits. She had her 1st level studies at the Saint Emilion wine tasting school in Bordeaux, France, and an introductory course at the Beaune School of Wine in Burgundy. She also attended various wine tasting workshops in Spain as well as in London at the London Wine Academy and special workshops on new world wines in New York & California.
Shamita Singha is now a proud founder of the Onesoul Events, which has a carved a niche in fashion industry, Shamita also directs fashion shows, and is a consultant with the Miss India organization as a ‘grooming and training expert.’ Her experience and knowledge in the leading pageant business, makes her expertise indispensable.The Refinery is where Shamita now imparts the right training and grooming required for prestigious pageants, as well as the modelling industry. She grooms Miss India and Miss Diva pageant contestants and coaches them on public speaking and pageant Q&A.
While the other beauty queens decide to switch towards Bollywood and make their career as actresses, Shamita decided to take her wisdom and knowledge to train the aspiring young women in India who wish to represent the country at international level. In one of her interviews, she was asked about why India faced a drought after Lara Dutta won Miss Universe 2000 and Priyanka Chopra won Miss World 2000? She stated, "The girls participating in such pageants don't match expectations. We can't blame the judges panel. We are not getting good entries. Most girls want to make a career in Bollywood and with so many modelling agencies these days, it is easier for them. So, they avoid taking the longer beauty pageant route”.