Team India triumphed at the CMC Asian Global Cup 2024, winning 10 awards, and showcasing incredible talent. These accolades underscore the immense skills within India’s beauty industry, despite numerous challenges. Now preparing for the Euro-Cup beauty competition 2025, they aim to further elevate India’s standing on the global stage. In an interview, Alisha speaks with Vikram J Pania, CMC CAT India President, about this success.
The interview highlights the prowess of Indian hair and beauty professionals at global platforms. It also addresses the challenges faced by Indian stylists in international competitions. Additionally, the importance of innovation in India’s beauty products and future plans is discussed. This interview shines a spotlight on the achievements of Team India in Almaty 2024 and their aspirations for upcoming global contests
Alisha: Congratulations on winning 10 awards! Could you share who won which awards and how these achievements reflect the team’s hard work and preparation?
VJP: Thank you! We participated in 15 categories with 14 participants from three states—Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat—and 10 cities: Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Nashik, Pune, Surat, Baroda, Ahmedabad, Ujjain, and Indore.
In Female Hairdressing – Salon Creative Haircut, Uttam Parekh from Ahmedabad secured 3rd place, and Sandeep Yadav from Mumbai got 4th.
In Female Salon Look Haircut, which involved cut, colour, and styling, Brajesh Sarathe from Surat earned the 4th position.
For Bridal Creative Makeup, Samir Savla from Mumbai achieved 2nd place.
In Men’s Short Sporty Haircut, Aditya Dewada from Ujjain came 3rd, while Piyush Valand from Baroda earned 4th.
The Artistic Category saw Ghanshyam Gadadhar from Surat win 1st place with the “Hairstylist by Night” theme by Vazha Mkhitaryan’s technique, and Manoj Chauhan earned 4th position.
In Barbering – Salon Look, Yogesh Nikam clinched 1st place and also secured 4th in the Women’s Avangard Geometric Haircut category.
In total, we won awards in 10 out of 15 categories.
Team India Shines in Almaty
Alisha: It’s an incredible achievement!
VJP: Yes, it’s historic—India’s first win at the CMC Asian Global Cup in 88 years! What’s remarkable is that only three states participated. Considering there are over 1 crore beauty professionals in India, this victory shows how much untapped potential we have.
Many participants came from major cities. India has 29 states, each with around 35–40 districts. Imagine the hidden talent waiting to be discovered. This is just the beginning!
Alisha: What were the most significant challenges the team faced during the competition, and how did you overcome them to achieve such stellar results?
VJP: The biggest hurdle was overcoming the mental block of competing against international stylists. Until we won those awards, there was a lack of confidence in our ability to compete with them. Convincing 15 people to participate took over two and a half years. One of the major barriers was the cost—around ₹1 lakh per person, plus hidden costs like practice and preparation.
Yogesh Nikam won 1st place in the Barbering – Salon Look category and achieved 4th place in the Women’s Avangard Geometric Haircut category. He was awarded by Luigi Caterino, CMC CAT UK President.
Once the team was formed, we faced another challenge: lack of exposure to international standards. Our tools and products fell short of global quality. Many Indian styling tools are mass-produced imports with minimal innovation. Without reliable equipment, we struggled during the competition.
Alisha: India should take this feedback seriously and work on creating high-quality, innovative products.
VJP: Absolutely. Innovation is about creating something new, not just re-engineering existing products. For example, Indian hair is uniquely dense and challenging to style. During the competition, other countries thinned mannequin hair to match their models’ fine hair, but we styled it effortlessly because of our experience with dense hair.
In the Artistic Category, Ghanshyam Gadadhar earned 1st place with the “Hairstylist by Night” theme by Vazha Mkhitaryan’s technique. He was awarded by Mrs. Mkhitarian Marianna, CMC CAT Russia.
Finding models was another challenge. The event was held in a mall, and many locals were unwilling to pose as Indian brides or for sporty looks, which often required trimming their hair. We approached over 100 women and 80 men before finding suitable models. In the end one of the Kazakh’s trainers approached us to be an Indian bridal model and we found a visitor who didn’t mind a sporty look.
Samir faced additional hurdles during the Bridal Creative Makeup category. Our products didn’t work on the Kazakh model’s sensitive skin, but he improvised using items from her vanity and created a flawless look, earning 2nd place.
In Bridal Creative Makeup, Samir Savla from Mumbai secured 2nd place and was awarded by Luigi Caterino, CMC CAT UK President.
The weather was another challenge. Temperatures dropped to 5–10°C, and we weren’t used to such conditions. We survived on “theplas” since most of the team were vegetarians, and even the non-vegetarians avoided the local cuisine, which often included horse meat.
Accommodation was another issue. We stayed in a hostel with 18 rooms but only 3 bathrooms, so our team started their day at 4 a.m. to reach the venue by 8 a.m. Despite all these challenges, our resilience paid off.
Alisha: That’s inspiring! What key lessons or insights have you gained from this tournament, and how do you plan to use them in future competitions?
VJP: This competition showcased India’s hair and beauty industry’s immense talent. Competing internationally validated our skills and earned global respect. Representing India means upholding our reputation positively. While we hoped to win in one category, winning in 10 was beyond expectations.
In Men’s Short Sporty Haircut, Aditya Dewada (Left) secured 3rd place & Piyush Valand (Right) earned 4th place.
We discovered opportunities from competing globally. For example, Samir’s bridal look was so impressive that others wanted to learn his techniques, opening doors for Indian artists internationally.
We’ve gained a platform to showcase other countries. Many South East Asian nations aren’t part of CMC yet. When they need training, Team India can step in and assist them. This is a significant opportunity.
Innovation is crucial. We must create products and techniques for Indian needs. Our familiarity with dense Indian hair was an advantage, emphasizing leveraging our strengths.
Strategic thinking is essential. Competitors used clever tactics like disruptive blow-drying. I would like to clarify that this happens in all healthy competitions. Their intention was not to disrespect us; these were simply mind games.
In frame: Luigi Caterino (Left) CMC CAT UK President and Manoj Chauhan (Left) earned 4th place with the “Hairstylist by Night” theme using Vazha Mkhitaryan’s technique. In Female Hairdressing – Salon Creative Haircut, Sandeep Yadav (Right) secured 4th place.
We observed, adapted, and learned flexibility. Leaders use sign language for team communication. We’ll adopt this smart, supportive strategy to guide participants during events. Professionalism, encompassing skill, conduct, and adaptability, is key. This event changed the world’s perception of India’s beauty industry.
This competition taught us to balance skills, strategy, and adaptability for future global events, representing India effectively.
Alisha: What is the team’s roadmap moving forward after this success, and what are your aspirations for India in upcoming global events?
VJP: Our current team will compete in the Euro-Cup in Turkey, where European and Balkan countries will participate. Their skills are at a higher level, so the competition will be tougher. Meanwhile, I’ll prepare a new team for the next Asian Cup.
Costs will rise as we move toward European and World Cups, but the experience we’ve gained will help us perform better. Competing on a global scale isn’t just about winning—it’s about creating a strong image for India.
In frame: Luigi Caterino (Left) CMC CAT UK President and Uttam Parekh (Left) secured 3rd place) in Female Hairdressing – Salon Creative Haircut. In Female Salon Look Haircut, Brajesh Sarathe (Right) earned 4th place.
In the World Cup, top countries like Japan, Brazil, and Canada will participate. We’ll need to showcase unique techniques and innovations to stand out. Balancing skills, ethics, and professionalism will be key, as these are part of the judging criteria.
Alisha: I hope India becomes a world champion.
VJP: I’m confident we will in the coming years. There’s room for improvement, but our potential is unmatched. As the president of CMC CAT India, it was my responsibility to hoist the Indian flag. The night before the competition, I told my team it was up to them to ensure the flag unfurled with pride. They did it. Our flag waves proudly.
Alisha: It’s heartwarming to see such dedication. Any final thoughts?
VJP: Representing India globally is an honour and a responsibility. Our success at the Asian Cup has opened doors for Indian artists and educators. It’s time to stop imitating Western trends and start innovating for our audience.
In Frame: CMC CAT India President- Vikram J Pania Felicitation from Mr. Antonio Bilancio CMC CAT WORLD President and Mrs.Guljakhan Khadjaeva CMC CAT KAZAKHSTAN President
This victory is just the beginning. With the right support, we can revolutionize the beauty industry and establish India as a global powerhouse.
Alisha: Thank you for sharing your journey. This achievement has placed India firmly on the global map of the beauty industry. Best wishes for future championships!
VJP: Thank you. We’ll continue striving for excellence and making India proud.
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