Bharat SainiLast Updated on December 21, 2017 by Bharat Saini
India’s Manushi Chhillar won the coveted Miss World 2017 title at a glittering event held at Sanya in China on Saturday, 18 November 2017; 17 years after Priyanka Chopra won the title in 2000. She competed against 118 contestants from various countries. Miss World 2016 winner Puerto Rico’s Stephanie Del Valle gave away the crown to the winner. Andrea Meza, Mexico was the 1st runner up and Stephanie Hill, England the 2nd runner up. Chillar also won the Beauty with Purpose award.
Born to Dr Neelam Chhillar & Dr Mitra Basu Chhillar on 14 May 1997 at Sonipat in Haryana, Manushi studied in St. Thomas School in New Delhi, a brilliant medical student at Government Medical College for Women in Sonepat was crowned Femina Miss India title in June 2017. Manushi is a trained Indian Classical dancer and enjoys painting.
In the question and answer round, Manushi was asked: “Which profession deserves the highest salary and why?” She replied: “I think a mother deserves the highest respect. I don’t think it’s just about cash but love and respect she gives to someone. She is the biggest inspiration in my life. Mother should get the highest respect.”
This is India’s Sixth Miss World title which was won for the first time by Reita Faria in 1966. Then Aishwarya Rai won it in 1994, Diana Haydon in 1997, Yukta Mookhey in 1999; and Priyanka Chopra in 2000 was crowned Miss World and Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty-Asia & Oceania.
Venezuela is the only other country to have won the six Miss World crown in 1955, 1981, 1984, 1991, 1995 and 2011.
Miss World is the oldest running international Beauty pageant. It was created in the United Kingdom by Eric Morley in 1951. Since his death in 2000, Morley’s widow, Julia Morley, has co-chaired the pageant.
India is home to World’s most beautiful women and had a hat-trick in the International Beauty Pageants in the year 2000 with three wins – with Dia Mirza winning Miss Asia Pacific, Priyanka Chopra winning Miss World and Lara Dutta winning Miss Universe.
Miss Universe title was won for the first time by an Indian Sushmita Sen in 1994 and then Lara Dutta won it 2000.
Miss Asia Pacific title was won by Zeenat Aman in 1970, Dia Mirza in 2000 and Tara Anne Fonseca in 1973.
Miss Earth title was won by Nicole Faria in 2001 and she 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 only holder of the title for India.
