Srilankan Beauty queen Jacqueline Fernandez is cultural ambassador

BAHRAIN-born beauty Jacqueline Fernandez is following a year's reign as Miss Sri Lanka with a new role, as her country's cultural ambassador to India. Sri Lanka's tourism board hand-picked the 22-year-old, who was one of the crowd's favourites in the Miss Universe 2006 pageant, to be its spokeswoman in India. She is also working on a feature film and furthering her modelling career while living in Mumbai, home to Bollywood, the world's largest film industry. "It really is very exciting," said Jackie, who returned to Bahrain to visit family and for the Grand Prix.

"When I was in Los Angeles (for the Miss Universe pageant) last year, everyone I met in Hollywood led me to Bollywood!

"Along with the modelling and acting contract in India, the Sri Lankan tourism board also asked me to be its cultural ambassador.

"In that role, I will be touring India promoting Sri Lanka in a positive way.

"It is something I truly believe in, especially after a year's reign as Miss Sri Lanka."

Last week Jackie crowned the new Miss Sri Lanka, Aruni Rajapakse, in a ceremony held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

"I really think Aruni was a great choice. She is a really lovely woman, very poised and dignified," she said.

But handing over her crown came with mixed emotions.

"I was happy and excited for Aruni and I knew I was starting another chapter in my life. But at the same time my reign was such an amazing experience that I couldn't help but think, 'Can I extend it a bit longer?'," said Jackie.

"After the Miss Universe pageant, I went back to Sri Lanka in September last year and fulfilled duties that concentrated a lot on society and creating more awareness.

"I worked with children's charities, as well as helped increase awareness on animal rights."

But before returning to Sri Lanka, Jackie was honoured with a major award in Los Angeles in August last year.

The Friends of the South Asian American Communities presented her with the Kalpana Chawla Award as the Outstanding Woman of the Year. While in the US, several newspapers featured Jackie and described her as "worldly", having been born in Bahrain, educated in Australia and worked as a television anchor in Sri Lanka.

The future holds many great possibilities for Jackie.

"I'm in a great place right now," she said.

"India is booming and it is a great platform to launch a career.

"For me, it was so much easier going to India and use it as a launching pad and maybe, who knows, go into Hollywood later?"

Jackie is one of three children of long-time Bahrain residents Elroy and Kim Fernandez.

Mr Fernandez owns Elroy Events Management and Mrs Fernandez is a senior advertising sales executive at Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group.

Jackie took part in several major fashion shows in Bahrain, including the Jewellery Arabia and Visual Image shows, before moving to Sri Lanka three years ago.

She also won several local beauty pageants and her face has graced many a billboard.