All travel partners, from tour guides to bus operators, are women, creating a safe space for some 'me-time'
uae4 hours ago
Harnaaz Sandhu of India was crowned the 70th Miss Universe on Sunday, topping a field of some 80 contestants in the Israeli Red Sea resort town of Eilat.
In the finale round, Harnaaz beat Paraguay's Nadia Ferreira and South Africa's Lalela Mswane.
Only two Indians have won the title of Miss Universe before Harnaaz Sandhu - actors Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000.
The moment her name was declared as the winner, Actor-model Harnaaz Sandhu broke down with tears of joy.
In a video going viral on Twitter, Harnaaz is seen saying 'Chak de phatte, India' moments after winning the crown.
In an Instagram post, Harnaaz dedicated her journey to the world event to India saying, “India, this one’s for you.”
A Chandigarh-based model, Harnaaz Sandhu has won several beauty pageants in the past.
She has been crowned Miss Diva 2021 and Femina Miss India Punjab 2019. Harnaaz, in fact, was also placed in the Top 12 at Femina Miss India 2019.
Harnaaz Sandhu has also worked in Punjabi films such as Yaara Diyan Poo Baran and Bai Ji Kuttange. She is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Public Administration.
In her spare time, Harnaaz enjoys the company of friends, loves yoga, dancing, cooking, horse riding, and playing chess.
She is a water baby and never misses a chance to jump into a pool to rejuvenate herself. She believes in the saying - “Great things happen to those who don’t stop believing, trying, learning, and being grateful."
ALSO READ:
Harnaaz draws her inspiration from her mother, who broke generations of patriarchy to become a successful gynecologist and led her family.
Driven to support other women the same way, Harnaaz grew up working with her mother at health camps addressing women's health and menstrual hygiene.
Deeply conscious of the privilege her mother's struggles have gifted her, Harnaaz today is a strong advocate for women's empowerment, particularly their constitutional rights to education, careers, and their freedom of choice.
Her favorite actor is Priyanka Chopra (former Miss World 2000), and she draws inspiration from her body of work.
The previously reigning Miss Universe, Andrea Meza of Mexico, crowned her successor.
The pageant was held in the middle of the night, wrapping up at 5 a.m. local time (10 p.m. EST) to accommodate the primetime schedule in the U.S.
The pageant included traditional displays of national costumes, evening gowns and swimwear, as well as a series of interview questions to test contestants’ public speaking skills.
The contest also suffered a last-minute hiccup with the arrival of the omicron variant, which forced Israel to close its borders to foreign tourists late last month.
Most of the Miss Universe contestants were already in the country before the new regulations came into effect. But those who came afterward were given special permission to enter, albeit with a mandatory 72-hour quarantine period.
Throughout the run-up to Sunday’s contest, all contestants were tested for the coronavirus every 48 hours and required to obey strict mask requirements.
Last year’s pageant was delayed due to the pandemic before Meza was crowned in May for her abbreviated tenure.
Sunday’s contest was hosted by U.S. TV personality Steve Harvey. Organizers said the pageant was expected to reach an estimated 600 million viewers via the FOX network in 172 countries.
All travel partners, from tour guides to bus operators, are women, creating a safe space for some 'me-time'
uae4 hours ago
Just one day after the alleged crime, the men illegally left the UAE by bypassing official checkpoints
crime4 hours ago
The pontiff opened his annual Christmas address to the Catholic cardinals with what appeared to be a reference to Israeli airstrikes on Friday
europe11 hours ago
Haaland, who was the Premier League's top scorer for the previous two seasons, has found the back of the net just twice in their last eight league games
football11 hours ago
The result leaves the Hammers 14th with 20 points after 17 games, while Brighton are ninth on 25
sports11 hours ago
Dubai Golden Visa Awardee shines with 16-Under-Par Performance in 90-Hole Shoot-Out
sports12 hours ago
Game Changers Falcons advanced to the final despite a loss earlier in the day
tennis12 hours ago
The trekkers formed a connection with the camels, and found the digital detox to be refreshing
uae12 hours ago