Miss World Japan 2016, Priyanka Yoshikawa, is in Mumbai to promote a cause dear to her heart: elephant conservation. Ms. Yoshikawa, a certified elephant trainer, is also the brand ambassador of the Balipara Foundation.
The Assam-based foundation is a conservation incubator which besides conducting experiments in ecological protection and restoration of the eastern Himalayan region, is also involved in conserving elephants and their habitat.
Ms. Yoshikawa, the only child of a Bengali father and a Japanese mother, had an early interest in elephants. She said, “I wanted an elephant as a pet when I was a kid. I wanted to have something to do with elephants in life. When I heard about the elephant course in Laos, I took part in it.” Ms. Yoshikawa has a Laos national certification for elephant training and has been part of the Balipara Foundation’s efforts after she won the Miss World Japan title.
For Ms. Yoshikawa, visiting the eastern Himalayan region and learning about the communities there has been an eye-opening experience. “I do conservation work for Asian elephants, projects [that include] their future and helping communities and mindful tourism. I’m making a bridge between Japan and India.”
Ms. Yoshikawa’s work involves developing films, theatre and street plays to create awareness.
Ms. Yoshikawa is also taking acting lessons. She said, “I have been interested in it for years. It’s a great way to express yourselves. Watching theatre in New York made me want to learn. I don’t have any movies that I’m planning to do right now. But I’m just taking lessons because I’m very interested and it makes me very happy. It also links to my public speaking work.”
