21-year-old Harnaaz Sandhu of India was recently crowned the 70th winner of Miss Universe, a development that ended the country’s 21-year-crown-drought at the international competition.
Held in Eilat, Israel, the young model edged out Paraguay’s Nadia Ferreira and South Africa’s Lalela Mswane to win the coveted title.
She wore a silver gown with beaded embellishment and plunging neckline as her finale ensemble. The dress was designed by Indian designer Saisha Shinde – who came out as a transwoman earlier this year.
The international competition hosted by legendary entertainer, Steve Harvey, featured 80 contestants vying for the tiara. A favorite from the beginning, she celebrated the crowning among the final three, including Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane and Miss Paraguay Nadia Ferreira. Harnaaz will move to New York City in the new year to represent the brand and various philanthropic organizations during her reign.
In a speech on stage during the pageant, Sandhu urged young people to “know that you are unique and that’s what makes you beautiful, stop comparing yourself to others.
“I believed in myself, and that’s why I’m standing here today,” she added, to loud applause from the audience.
When asked about her journey, Sandhu explained that this opportunity is a dream come true as she is very passionate about empowering women.
She said “This has been an experience of a lifetime! The past three weeks have been a dream getting to know these exceptional women, and I’m honored to be chosen among them to represent this inspiring organization. I hope to serve the global community to the best of my ability in the year to come.”
