India’s Harnaaz Sandhu brings home the Miss Universe crown after 21 years crowned by Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza in Eilat, Israel.
Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza of Mexico crowned Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Sandhu of India. The 2021 Miss Universe competition was held on Sunday at the Universe Dome in Eilat, Israel, and Miss India, Miss Paraguay, and Miss South Africa were named the three finalists.
Before Harnaaz Sandhu, only two Indians have won the title of Miss Universe – actors Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000. The 21-year-old from Punjab took the crown in tight competition with Paraguay’s Nadia Ferreira and South Africa’s Lalela Mswane trailing closely behind.
On being asked what advice she would give to young women on how to deal with the pressures they face, Ms. Sandhu said, “The biggest pressure the youth of today is facing is to believe in themselves, to know that you are unique and that’s what makes you beautiful. Stop comparing yourselves with others and let’s talk about more important things that are happening worldwide.”
She said, “This is what you need to understand. Come out, speak for yourselves because you are the leader of your life, you are the voice of your own. I believed in myself and that’s why I am standing here today,” Ms. Sandhu said with confidence.
Harnaaz Sandhu is a Chandigarh-based model, and beauty pageant titleholder who started her journey in pageantry at the age of 17, has previously been crowned Miss Diva 2021, Femina Miss India Punjab 2019, and was even placed in the Top 12 at Femina Miss India 2019. She became the third Indian woman to be crowned Miss Universe.
She has also worked in Punjabi films like “Yaara Diyan Poo Baran” and “Bai Ji Kuttange”.