9 Indian Beauties Who Made Us Proud With Their Wins At International Beauty Pageants

On 12 December, Chandigarh-based Harnaaz Sandhu was crowned Miss Universe 2021 at the pageant held in Israel recently. She became the third Indian woman to bring home the crown. But she is not the one who makes us proud. There are many other Indian beauties that created history with their brains and beauty. Let's take a look at Miss Universe and Miss World winners from India.

Sushmita Sen

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Sushmita Sen became the first Miss Universe from India after winning the crown in 1994. Sushmita was born on 19 November 1975 into a Bengali Baidya family in Hyderabad. Her father Shubeer Sen was a former Indian Air Force Wing Commander, and her mother Subhra Sen, a jewellery designer. Sush is not married yet and adopted two baby girls, Renee and Alisah.

She won the title 'Femina Miss India Universe' in 1994 and the same year she competed for the Miss Universe title and won the pageant.

Lara Dutta

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Lara Dutta was crowned Miss Universe in 2000 but did you know that same year current Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu was born. Lara Dutta was the second Indian woman after Sushmita Sen in the history of the pageant to win the title. Lara made her Bollywood debut with Andaaz in 2003 and never looked back and worked in many Bollywood movies after that.

Lara was born in April 16, 1978 at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and graduated with a degree in economics and minor in communications from the University of Mumbai. Lara Dutta married Indian tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi who was one of the most dominant doubles players in the sport's history.

Harnaaz Sandhu

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On 12 December 2021 after 21 years, 21-year-old Harnaaz Sandhu made history after she won the Miss Universe 2021 crown at the 70th Miss Universe 2021 held in Israel. She became the third Indian woman to bring home the crown. Chandigarh-based model and actor who worked in several Punjabi movies is pursuing her master's degree in public administration. In 2017, she won the title of 'Times Fresh Face' and thus began her journey to beauty pageants. She also won the LIVA Miss Diva Universe 2021 title.

Reita Faria

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At the age of 23, Reita Faria became the first Indian and Asian woman to win the Miss World crown back in 1966. After winning the title of Miss World in 1966, Reita offered lots of modelling and movie offers but she rejected all and followed her dream to become a doctor and completed her MBBS from King's College and becoming the first Miss World to become a doctor. Faria also won the title of Miss Bombay and Eve's Weekly Miss India in 1966. Born on 23 August 1943 to Goan parents in Mumbai's Matunga, Faria married her mentor and endocrinologist David Powell in 1971, and shifted to Dublin where she started her medical practice. Faria became the first Indian to walk the ramp in a swimsuit and was chosen as the 'Best in Swimsuit' and the 'Best in Evening Wear', for standing out in a saree. Faria has two daughters and five grandchildren.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan won the coveted Miss World crown held at Sun City, South Africa in 1994 in 1994 and became one of the most popular Indian stars across the world. After winning the crown of Miss World Aishwarya worked in many successful Bollywood movies like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Taal, Mohabbatein, Devdas, Chokher Bali, Jeans, Bride & Prejudice, Raincoat, Dhoom 2, Guru, Jodhaa Akbar. Apart from Bollywood Aishwarya has worked on several Hollywood films. She married Abhishek Bachchan in 2007 and gave birth to her daughter Aaradhya in 2011. Aish became the first-ever Indian actor to be on the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003 and second Indian actor, after father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan, to have a wax statue of herself at Madame Tussaud's.

Diana Hayden

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After three years Aishwarya won the title of miss world, Diana Hayden won the Miss World crown in 1997 at the 47th edition of the pageant which was held in Baie Lazare, Seychelles and became the third Indian woman to win the pageant. Diana is the only Miss World titleholder to win three titles during the competition including Miss World- Asia and Oceania, Miss Photogenic and Spectacular Swimwear. Diana was born in Hyderabad and started her career with an event management company and eventually a Public Relations Officer to a popular organisation, managing careers of popular singers before entering into modelling. She made her screen debut in the film version of Shakespeare¡¯s Othello, in South Africa in 2001. She is also an author of a book called, A Beautiful Truth which is an ¡°encyclopedia on grooming and also deals with personality development and confidence building.¡±

Yukta Mookhey

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At the age of 22, Yukta Mookhey won the title of Miss World in 1999 and was crowned by Linor Abargil who won the Miss World beauty pageant in 1998 and became the fourth Indian and Asian woman to win the title. At the event, she also won the title of "Asia & Oceanian Queen of Beauty."

Yukta was born on 7 October 1977 to a Sindhu family in Bangalore, her father Inderlal Mookhey was a managing director of a clothing company and her mother Aroona Mookhey owned a grooming salon in Mumbai. She was a zoology student and also got a diploma in computer application. Yukta married Prince Tuli, a New York-based businessman in 2008 and both were blessed with a baby boy. The couple got divorced in 2014 after she accused her husband of domestic violence and harassment. Yukta debut in Bollywood with the movie "Pyaasa" in 2002 which was a flop at the box office. Later she worked in many movies like Kab Kyon Kahan, Hum Teenu and Insaaf: The Justice.

Priyanka Chopra

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At the age of 18, Priyanka Chopra was crowned Miss World in 2000 and was the fifth Miss India to ever do so. Priyanka was also crowned Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty of Asia & Oceania that same year. Priyanka was born on July 18, 1982, in Jamshedpur, India to the family of Indian Army physicians late Captain Dr. Ashok Chopra and Dr. Madhu Chopra. Priyanka won the title of Miss World in 2000 and debuted with the Tamil film, Thamizhan in 2002 and made her Bollywood debut the following year with The Hero alongside Preity Zinta and Sunny Deol. She also worked in several Hollywood and South Indian films. She started her own production company, Purple Pebble Productions. She received the Padma Shri in 2016, one of the highest civilian awards in India, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award in 2017 for her being an international icon. Priyanka tied a knot with Nick Jonas in 2019 which was held at the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Rajasthan with two ceremonies, one Christian and one Hindu tradition.

Manushi Chhillar

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Haryana girl, Manushi Chhillar won the Miss World crown after seventeen years in 2017 held at Sanya City Arena and brought back the crown to India and became the sixth beauty from India who has made us super proud. Same year leaving behind 29 contestants, the Haryana girl won 54th Femina Miss India Title. She had to compete with 108 contestants at a bumper event. For her 'Beauty with a Purpose' project for Miss World 2017, she was a part of an initiative called 'Project Shakti', where she had spread awareness about menstrual hygiene. In this initiative, she visited about 20 villages and made a difference to the lives of 5,000 women.

Manushi was born on 14 May 1997 to her father, Dr. Mitra Basu Chhillar is a scientist at DRDO, and her mother, Dr. Neelam Chhillar is the head of the Department of Neurochemistry at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences. She is pursuing MBBS from Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women in Sonepat, Haryana, and gearing up for her Bollywood debut with Prithviraj.

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