The glamorous world of fashion and pageantry might seem limited to the select few adults who are chosen to charm the audience with their stunning couture and persona. However, this glittering world rarely witnesses a talent far younger, and equally capable.

Seven-year-old Kyron Goveas has made an early foray into fashion and pageantry, which was contrary to his nature. 

“Kyron joined the pageant journey at the tender age of five…he’s a bit introverted, so I just thought of enrolling him at the Bollywood Factor…I thought it could help him overcome his shyness,” says Kyron’s mother, Vanessa Castelino. 

However, despite Kyron’s introverted nature, he showed promise. 

“Interestingly, we noticed that although he was quite shy, he was natural at being confident on stage, so we thought it was a great opportunity for him to explore his interests and gain some valuable experience,” she says. 

Kyron began his pageant journey at Bollywood Factor, a multicultural pageant, in August 2022, which turned out to be quite the challenge for him. 

“He won Bollywood Factor…and winning wasn’t easy because there were a bunch of talented kids, and Kyron literally worked for five months. He would regularly go for his training and practice his walk,” Vanessa says. He had also won another pageant called Little Masters prior to Bollywood Factor, being the youngest contestant in the pageant. 

Despite being born in New Zealand and participating in multicultural pageants, Kyron’s inquisitiveness at his age about his roots was something quite unique. 

“Kyron basically was quite fascinated with India and Indian culture, so we couldn’t help but notice his inquisitiveness about India…we are surprised that being raised in New Zealand, his connections to his Indian heritage remain strong,” Vanessa says. 

His keen sense of identity led him to wear his heart on his sleeve, which was showcased through his costume. 

“For Kyron, keeping his roots and Indian ethnicity was a priority…we discussed with Kyron what he would like to wear [for the pageant]. He actually is a Kiwi, but he wanted to keep his Kiwi-Indian tradition, and he wanted to showcase his dual culture,

We wanted a costume that blends both countries into one, so we decided to make a costume to showcase the national birds of both countries…it represented the dual culture in one,” Vanessa says. 

The moment when Kyron won the pageants couldn’t have been any less magical than a dream for him. His mother recalled the moment when he won the Little Masters pageant. 

“I remember as soon as they said, “And the winner of the Little Masters is Kyron Goveas”, he just ran onto the stage with a big smile and for us to witness this as parents has been a very proud moment. We are really proud of his achievements and cannot wait to witness many more,” Vanessa says. 

Vanessa’s hopes for Kyron in the pageant world go beyond awards. It is about embracing his individuality and making memories along the way, which is bigger than any award a child can receive.