Today on the Buzz I feature the reigning Miss Earth for Sri Lanka who I think is absolutely stunning. She has such a refreshing face and also carries a personality which goes hand-in-hand with it. Diandra is a professional model, an ICT graduate, and a spokesperson for elephant conservation. We are just getting started with her on her amazing journey ahead. Today I speak to her in the true Buzz style.

How was the moment when you were crowned Miss Sri Lanka for Earth? That feeling was not easy to explain, with the weight of the responsibility I felt extremely happy yet humbled. Not just because I got a title but also because I got a platform and a voice to help animals, make awareness about many environmental-related issues, and make a difference. Also, I feel extremely blessed to be a part of the Miss Earth family locally and globally.

Who has been an inspiration in your life? Growing up I was a very introverted person, I wasn’t outgoing at all. So throughout my life, my parents were my biggest inspiration, the way they bond with people despite where they come from and how they are kind and loving to humans and animals but with time Princess Diana’s story made a big difference in my life. The way she handled media, people and how she cared about meaningful things, and how she fought for people. That changed my mind. So yes my parents and Princess Diana. 

What do you hope to say about Sri Lanka on the world stage? Sri Lanka is a land with many wonders, we are glowing with natural resources, rich biodiversity, and the most important thing- we are a country with strong women with powerful voices. As a nation, we’ve overcome many obstacles. If we come together as a nation together with the rest of the world, we can work towards conserving Mother Earth.

How important is it for us to promote Sri Lankan talent and personalities to the world according to you?
I think it is the right time to get out there and make a name for ourselves. We need more talent going out there and making a difference. Otherwise, we will always be the Pearl of the Indian Ocean but we can be more than who we are. It’s time for us to be our own treasure and show our true talent and shine. And I believe that most of our talents are doing a fabulous job: Eg: Jaquie, Yohani, Ornella Gunasekara and athletic personalities. 

Who has been your all-time favourite beauty queen from Sri Lanka and why?
I actually have two. The first one would be: Nathasha Fernando (Miss Earth Sri Lanka 2018/19). She’s one of the most amazing queens who did and still doing her advocacy. She didn’t let go of her legacy even after she ended her reign. She has been actively using her platform to promote tourism, raise awareness related to environmental/social topics, and most importantly using her voice and social platforms to make a difference.

The second beauty queen is our beautiful Ornella Gunasekara, she made us proud in many pageants. She’s someone who actively showcased that our flaws cannot stop us from pursuing our passion. She’s one of the few in SL to climb Mountain Everest and also even up to date she is doing brilliant work as a true queen. 

If you have to describe yourself in one sentence - how would you do it? I’m a sensitive person with so much compassion and love stuck in my heart, I believe in gratitude and respect.

How was life in school? And what is the fondest memory you have? School itself was a good memory. I was a complete tomboy, didn’t care about anything. I did whatever I wanted. But it taught me many amazing and meaningful lessons, also school kept me close to God.

What would you say to all the young girls and boys who feel down, and feel like life has been unfair? First of all, life itself is an adventure with ups and downs. We must understand that everyone in this world is going through a very hard time, doesn’t matter rich or poor, but all of us have achieved something in our lives, let’s be thankful for that and appreciate everything we have in our life. Let’s help each other to achieve our dreams, because if we put our mind and soul into something we can achieve it. 

Sri Lanka is losing a lot of young talent as they go abroad and find life, what would you tell them? Where ever you go, always be proud of your country, you can get citizenship in a different land, but remember this is your motherland, this is the land that you kept your first step. Always love it and be thankful and appreciate your own talents before you appreciate others. 

How excited are you about the Pageant? I’m very excited and thrilled, this was a beautiful experience and it has actually changed me, I got exposed to the real world and I'm a different, strong woman of the earth. 

What do you feel is the biggest environmental issue we have right now, and how can we make it better? There are many issues in the world, but I believe neglect and lack of knowledge of the environment and environmental issues is one of the biggest traits of humanity. Human and animal (wild, stray, and domestic) conflict is one of the most highlighted areas we are facing as a nation at the moment. I'm so proud to say that our organisation (Miss Earth Sri Lanka) is planning to raise funds to support many wild animals, stray animals and to educate youth and citizens on how to protect and be aware of the world we live in.

I heard you are a great singer, what did you sing for your talent competition? And would you take it up full-time sometime? Ohh that’s a talent that Kosh and Nathasha took out from. I was a good singer in the shower, never sang in front of anyone. Thanks to Kosh and Nathasha I managed to sing in front of lots of people. Yes, I sang Never Enough from the movie Greatest Showman. Maybe I might do it as a part-time thing, all up to my wonderful manager Kosh.