After felicitating two Indian women, Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000, at the Miss Universe pageantry, India finally gets back the crown in the 70th Miss Universe pageant.

India wears the crown of Miss Universe 2021 after 21 years as Harnaaz Sandhu wins the pageant on 13th December 2021 in Israel. The event has added another golden feather to the historical cap of India. 

Harnaaz Sandhu Early Life and Awarded

Since teenage, Harnaaz has been competing in pageantry with her first participation at the age of 17. She has been awarded various titles before, including Miss Chandigarh 2017, Miss Max Emerging Star India 2018, and Femina Miss India Punjab 2019.

Her success stories do not end here as she was placed at the top 12 of Femina Miss India 2019. She was recognized as Miss Diva Universe 2021 which further rolled out red carpets for her to the pageant of Miss Universe 2021. 

Sandhu is an actor-model by profession and has been portrayed in Punjabi movies namely Yaara Diyan Poo Baran and Bai Ji Kuttange. At present, she is pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration. The actor claims to be inspired by the works and appearance of Priyanka Chopra, another Indian daughter who won the title of Miss World 2000.

Her Miss Universe pageant speech was an appeal to the youngsters to believe in their uniqueness and accept that they are beautiful. She was also seen taking a stand to spread awareness about environmental sustainability and climate change during a QnA session at the Top 5. The pageant witnessed around 80 women from across the globe, coming together in a cut-throat competition to win the reputed title.

Beating the strongest competition of all time, Harnaaz Sandhu was in the top 3 of the running with Nadia Ferreira of Paraguay and Lalela Mswane of South Africa. As the Indian diva was crowned, Nadia was the first runner up followed by Lalela as the second runner-up of the competition. Her winning cry was caught on camera as she exclaimed ‘Chak De Phatte’, meaning ‘India, let’s do this’ in Punjabi.

Harnaaz Sandhu was born and brought up in Chandigarh in a traditional Punjabi family. However, according to Sandhu, she draws her inspiration from her mother who always led her by example. Shattering the age-old patriarchy, her mother leads her house and is a successful gynecologist. She spent her childhood working closely with her mother and understanding women’s empowerment.

Harnaaz has worked in health camps addressing issues about women’s health and menstrual hygiene. At present, she stands as a strong advocate for women’s empowerment and their rights including freedom of choice, education, and career. The 2021 Miss Universe also holds her interest in cooking, singing, fitness, and penning down Punjabi couplets in her spare time. 

Driven by passion and intellect, Harnaaz Sandhu aims high in her life and believes in her caliber. Being the third Indian in history to be awarded the prestigious title has made her a benchmark for Indians to be proud about. The 21-year old queen carries a versatile personality that can set a new legacy for India and Indians.