Anita Chand looked at her daughter yesterday and said: “She gave me the biggest and best Mother’s Day gift.”

Pooja Priyanka was crowned Miss World Fiji on Saturday night and made Mrs Chand.

The motherly touch was quite obvious as Mrs Chand and Ms Priyanka relaxed at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva after a hectic week.

Mrs Chand could not hide her joy.

She is a tax and business manager in Sydney and described how she raised Priyanka.

Mrs Chand said she was married at an early age and had her both children, Prashil Chand, 27, and Pooja Priyanka, 24.

“I have been very supportive towards her success since she was five years old. She had shown interest in dance and modelling at a very young age,” she said.

“I always wanted her to follow her dreams and passion. My husband and I have given her all the freedom to pursue her career as she has dreamed off.

“Seeing her crowned as Miss World Fiji, going up on the success ladder and going in for Miss World Pageant is another bigger and brighter step of her life and I am very proud of my daughter,” Mrs Chand said.

Mrs Chand said this Mother’s Day was different from previous years because her two children were not together with her.

“This is the first year I am celebrating Mother’s Day without having both of my children together but what Pooja gave me is marvelous. I am thankful for God giving Pooja this big opportunity to stand up and express her talents,” she said.

Ms Priyanka gifted her mother a flower bouquet followed by a dinner at a restaurant last night.

Ms Priyanka said she was grateful for having an amazing mother who stood by her every moment of her life.

“She is the pillar of strength for me. I have always looked up to her while growing up and made her experience my ambition and followed her footsteps of becoming an independent, successful woman,” Ms Priyanka said.

Currently, Ms Priyanka is looking forward to starting her Beauty with A Purpose campaign in and out of Fiji.

Ms Priyanka said her future goal was to start a charity organisation to help those in need and help Fiji in every way possible to be recognised in the world.

Edited by Nemani Delaibatiki.

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