Who is Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu?

  DUBAI – India’s Harnaaz Sandhu captivated the world on Monday (December 13) after winning the Miss Universe 2021 pageant, bringing back the crown to India after 21 years. But just who is Sandhu? The new Miss Universe is a model and actress, and is the third Indian to win Miss Universe, after Sushmita Sen took the crown in 1994 in and Lara Dutta in 2000. The 21-year-old Sandhu beat 79 other contestants in the pageant held in Israel’s resort town of Eilat this year. She was in the top five, including Miss Philippines Beatrice Gomez, Miss Paraguay Nadia Ferreira, Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane and Miss Colombia Valeria Ayos. Sandhu is from India’s city of Chandigarh where she grew up. Before joining the pageant, she was working towards getting her master’s degree in public administration. A model and actress, she has starred in a few films, including Yaara Diyan Poo Baran and Bai Ji Kuttange. In a previous interview with The Indian Express, Sandhu said venturing into acting helps her showcase her “hidden talents”. “I love acting as I enjoy being on the screen and it has been a great learning experience as well,” she said. She got into pageantry starting at the age of 17, when won Times Fresh Face in 2017 as a candidate of Chandigarh. The next year, she won Miss Max Emerging Star India. She also bagged the titles Femina Miss India Punjab 2019 and Miss Diva 2021, which led her to represent India at the Miss Universe pageant. Sandhu said one of her biggest inspirations is former Miss World Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The new beauty queen loves dancing, cooking, horse riding, playing chess and yoga. She said she was bullied in her teens because she was skinny. Now she advocates for body positivity, saying in a previous media interview that “the only person I need to impress should be myself”. After winning Miss Universe, Sandhu said she “dedicate my performance to all those strong women out there who face battles every day with a smile. You're a warrior and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise." Sandhu will be moving to New York City to spend a year working as the new ambassador for the Miss Universe Organisation.

Miss Universe winners throughout the years

2020 – Andrea Meza, Mexico 2019 – Zozibini Tunzi, South Africa 2018 – Catriona Gray, Philippines 2017 – Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, South Africa 2016 – Iris Mittenaere, France 2015 – Pia Wurtzbach, Philippines 2014 – Paulina Vega, Colombia 2013 – Gabriela Isler, Venezuela 2012 – Olivia Culpo, USA 2011 – Leila Lopes, Angola
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