.
MUMBAI: Dr Dimple Padawe, the Dean of Government Dental College (GDC) located in the St George’s Hospital campus near CST, Mumbai, was crowned ‘Mrs India’ in the classic category for women aged 40 to 60. She said her victory on December 21 is not a personal achievement but a vehicle to amplify awareness about oral cancer, particularly among tribal communities.The 52-year-old dean, mother of two daughters, participated in the pageant with a mission close to her heart: to educate and prevent oral cancer, which affects about 1.4 million Indians every year. Dr Padawe said oral cancer claims numerous lives, especially in tribal areas where access to dental care is limited. “I mainly wanted to participate to leverage the pageant’s platform to spread this crucial message,” she said.A standout moment in the competition was the national message round where Dr Padawe’s attire created a buzz. “I wore a specially designed, digitally printed saree that vividly depicted the burden of oral cancer. The saree’s ‘pallu’ featured a striking image of a mouth affected by oral cancer, while the rest of the saree was adorned with cigarette prints,” she said. To complete her ensemble, she wore a crown made of artificial cigarettes and skulls, “symbolising the lives lost to the disease.”Her journey to the crown was also marked by a personal transformation. “Over eight months, I shed 16 kg, dropping from 74 kg to 58 kg despite battling health challenges such as being a thalassemia minor, having asthma and thyroid issues,” she said.She said she didn’t use slimming medicines but used a common-sense approach provided by her dietician. “Due to thyroid issues, I was told not to have salads. I was told to concentrate on weight training, which really made the difference,” said the senior dentist. She had two meals a day, which started with a protein shake. “I avoided vada pavs and samosas that are popular in the office during any birthday celebrations,” said Dr Padawe, who is also a singer.