India’s official entrant to the Miss Universe contest, Vasuki Sunkavalli returned home empty-handed having failed to make it even to the Top 16 contestants.
Although we never really expected much out of the lady who stole tweets in order to make herself look intelligent, we have to admit that her dismal performance was a far cry from the country’s previous beauty queens that won the crown. The golden run that India saw with international beauty pageant winners like Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta, etc. seems like a bygone era as none of India’s representatives have won any prominent titles since a decade.
While we wait for another Indian beauty to be crowned in an international contest, let us rewind and remember those ladies who did us proud at international beauty pageants.
While we wait for another Indian beauty to be crowned in an international contest, let us rewind and remember those ladies who did us proud at international beauty pageants.
Reita Faria
Reita Faria was the first Indian woman to ever win an international title since its inception. She was crowned Miss World in the year 1966. She however shunned the glamour world later and gave herself to medicinal practice.
Zeenat Aman
After being crowned the 2nd runners up at the Miss India contest, Zeenat Aman went on to win the Miss Asia Pacific title in 1970, again being the first Indian to do so. Post her win she joined Bollywood and totally changed the face of the Indian woman in Hindi cinema. She was considered the Original Diva of Bollywod.
Sushmita Sen
In another first for the Indian nation, Sushmita Sen brought home the most coveted crown: that of Miss Universe in the year 1994. She too joined Bollywood, where she is known for her bold and fearless instinct.
Aishwarya Rai
Perhaps the most famous of all Indian beauty queens is Aishwarya Rai. She won the title of Miss World the same year as Sen and there has been no looking back for her since.
Diana Hayden
Diana Hayden brought home the Miss World Title for a third time in 1997. She too joined the Hindi film industry but could not replicate the success of her seniors.
Yukta Mookhey
Yukta Mookhey joined the Indian Miss World brigade in 1999 becoming the fourth one to do so. Her Bollywood career was a miserable one as the few films she acted in bombed at the box-office and she was never able to establish herself as a bankable actress.
Lara Dutta
Lara Dutta became only the second Indian woman to win the Miss Universe pageant, in 2000, after Sushmita Sen. Lara Dutta now, is a successful Bollywood actress and producer and, of course, a mommy-to-be.
Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra was the last person to win the Miss World crown from India and that was in the same year as Lara Dutta’s win. Today, she is the reigning queen of Bollywood and is considered to be one of the best actresses of her batch.
Dia Mirza
Dia Mirza contributed to the creation of history when she won the Miss Asia Pacific title the very year that Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra won the Miss Universe and Miss World title respectively. It was the only time that a nation had picked up all three major awards in a single year.
Nicole Faria
Nicole Faria is the first Indian to win the Miss Earth pageant since its inception in 2001. She won the crown in December 2010 and is the current holder of the title.
