Miss India winners: 2000
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Contents |
Miss India winners: 2000
.jpg)
.jpg)
Miss India Universe 2000 Lara Dutta
Miss India World 2000 Priyanka Chopra
Miss India Asia-Pacific - Dia Mirza
Representative at Miss International - Gayatri Joshi
2000 was the second epochal year for Indian beauty queens after 1994. In 2000 all the Miss India winners happened won their respective international pageants - Lara Dutta (Miss Universe), Priyanka Chopra (Miss World) and Diya Mirza (Miss Asia Pacific). Lara Dutta won the title of Miss Universe in Cyprus, Priyanka Chopra clinched the Miss World title and Dia Mirza secured the title of Miss Asia Pacific.
The only other country to have won all three major titles in one year was Australia in 1972.
In the year 2000 Miss India won Miss World and was watched by an estimated global television audience of two billion. Priyanka Chopra, an 18 year old student and bookmakers' favourite, became the fourth Indian to win the title in 7 years and succeeded her compatriot Yukta Mookhe. In India, the event was watched by an estimated 300 million people.
A year after the title, Dia made her film debut with Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein opposite R Madhavan, and just three years later, both Lara and Prinyanka made their Bollywood debut in 2003 with the film Andaz, starring opposite Akshay Kumar. Since then, all three of them have won several accolades for their exemplary work in Hindi cinema. Priyanka, of course, has gone a notch higher to make her debut in singing, thus proving an all-rounder side to her charismatic personality.
Lara Dutta
Miss Universe 2000
The sensual Lara Dutta describes her winning the Miss Universe title as being "a culmination of a dream." Lara is now a successful actress in Bollywood. The beauty is married to tennis champ Mahesh Bhupathi. Lara Dutta of India is one of the few Miss Universes of recent history to win by unanimous vote at the Miss Universe 2000 contest.
Lara Dutta was born on April 16, 1978, in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Her father is Wing Commander L.K. Dutta and mother is Jennifer Dutta. The Dutta family moved to Bangalore in 1981 where she completed high school from Frank Anthony Public School. Lara Dutta graduated in economics with a minor in communications from Bombay University at Bangalore. She was crowned Miss Universe in 2000 which led to her appointment as an unfpa Goodwill Ambassador in 2001.S he won the 2000 Miss India pageant, and went on to win the Miss Universe 2000 pageant.
Lara Dutta: Miss Universe 2000 did her sole film in Tamil ‘Arasatchi’ opposite Arjun in 2004.
Miss India Universe- Lara Dutta, Miss Universe, 2000 (also Miss Intercontinental 1997
Priyanka Chopra
Miss World 2000
Most Beautiful in Swim Suit at the beach
Asia & Oceania’s Queen of Beauty Award
Priyanka Chopra was born on 18th July 1982, in Jamshedpur, India, to Capt. Dr. Ashok Chopra and Dr. Madhu Chopra. Her father was a surgeon in the Indian Army Medical Corps. She has a younger brother, Sidharth. Miss India has done it yet again! Priyanka Chopra, 18, was crowned Miss World 2000 at a glittering ceremony at London's Millennium Dome on November 30.The event marked the crossing of more than one milestone in India's track record in international beauty pageants.
This Bareilly girl beat out 94 other lovely ladies to claim the Miss World 2000 title and $100,000 prize money at the Millennium dome, London. Priyanka Chopra is one of the top league actresses in Bollywood with hits like Don, Fashion, Dostana and Kaminey. The beauty has been honored with a national award too. Priyanka Chopra became Miss World in the year 2000. She made a place for herself in the glamour world and has acted in a number of films. Her latest film Krrish was a real hit in the box office. Priyanka has gained great popularity and a huge fan gathering.
Eighteen-year-old girl Priyanka Chopra was crowned Miss World at Johannesburg, South Africa in 2000. Priyanka Chopra made her film debut in the 2002 Tamil film ‘Thamizhan’ playing the love interest of the hero Vijay. In the mass action hero film she had precious little to do. But in Bollywood she is on the power list and today she is the highest paid Indian actress after Aishwarya Rai. Like Aishwarya, Priyanka is also beauty and talent in one. Tamil industry can rightfully lament for not having used her well.
Dia Mirza
Miss Asia-Pacific, 2000
Delicacy, poise, elegance and brains define Dia Mirza. This heavenly beauty from Hyderabad, won the prestigious Miss Asia-Pacific title and is an actress now.
Gayatri Joshi
India's Representative at Miss International
Gayatri Joshi, semi finalist Miss International
Sources for this series include:
daum desihotmasala I AM She indianautographs latestnewspics Mensxp mid-day Missindiaworlduniverse Missosology missosology missosology oocities pageantopolis sabrebiade southdreamz The Times of India The Times of India The Times of India The Times of India The Times of India Arunima Mazumdar & Richa Barua The Times of India The Times of India Voy.com
Archival articles about the world-conquering winners of 2000
The 2000 contest recalled
K S Sanjay | Femme 2000| Rediff.com
The lawns of Poona Club were resplendent with a glitter that rivalled even the stars above. On centre stage were the winners of the Femina Miss India 2000 contest. In company of some achievers of before -- Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai, Diana Hayden and Yukta Mookhey.
Facing them was the panel of judges... Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Waheeda Rehman, Pritish Nandy, Mohammed Azharuddin, Anjoli Ela Menon, Zee Network chairman Subhash Chandra Goel, perfume queen Carolina Herrera, and Marcus Swarovski.
Lara Dutta, a 21-year-old model, bagged the Femina Miss India crown. She will represent the country at the Miss Universe contest. First runner-up Priyanka Chopra, crowned Femina Miss India World, will be the candidate for Miss World pageant. Hyderabad lass Diya Mirza, chirpy at sweet 17+1, was the second runner-up, the Femina Miss India Asia Pacific.
Preperations for the contest had begun much earlier. Pune was humming with activity almost a week before the event.
"Setting up the stage, rehearsals, co-ordinating the celebrity judges, getting permissions, getting reservations... There was so much work that it was unbelievable!" said an organiser.
The activities peaked on the evening of January 14. Late night, the crowds at Hotel Holiday Inn went into a tizzy when they espied moviestars Juhi Chawla, Mohammmed Azharuddin and Shah Rukh Khan entering through the back door. For a moment it looked like it would tear through the security cover and make a dash for the stars.
The preliminary rounds began around 0830 hours Saturday at the hotel. These included the swimsuit round and the one-to-one with the judges.
In the evening, the programme commenced 15 minutes late. Malaika Arora and Rahul Khanna were the comperes. Must concede that they did an excellent job. But the one who stole hearts was veejay Cyrus Broacha, with his on-the-spot interviews. He added the much-needed zing to the otherwise staid and 'purfeect' lines of the rest. Also humour.
Juhi's question to a contestant: "If you were granted a sixth sense what would you like it to be?'
Stumped, she came up with a weak 'I would like to be a magician.'
But Shah Rukh's longish query about whom the contestant would chose between him, Azhar and Swaroski drew an equally longish reply. The contestant replied, to thunderous applause, that she would go for the ex-captain of the Indian team so that he could do the country proud and she could go home to tell him that she was equally proud of him as was his country!
The entertainment rounds were noteworthy. There was Shaggy with his 'boombastic' numbers, foot-tapping songs from Noble Savages and memorable ones from the Deep Forest. Breathtaking acrobatics by the Safari Cats, come all the way from Africa, drew terrific applause.
The former achievers at international pageants were called on stage. Thus, besides Sen, Rai, Hayden and Mookhey, there were Namrata Shirodkar, Madhu Sapre, Manpreet Brar, Diya Chohan, Ruchi Malhotra, Shweta Jaishankar and Diya Abraham.
The maximum applause went to Sen who spoke with tears brimming. She won the hearts of many by asking the audience to applaud the parents of the contestants. And then by telling the parents of those who did not make it to the finals not to be disappointed because she felt they would be achievers in some other field, that just making it to the event was an achievement in itself.
"My father told me when I became Miss Universe that my family did not now consist of just my father and mother," she said. "I am happy to have a billion Indians as my family."
The crowd went berserk clapping.
On my way out I overheard a close associate of Lara Dutta's friend comment:
"Lara is a terrific girl. Though she has no formal training she has been working from an early age. She has bagged quite a few prestigious assignments to date. She had supreme confidence even when she was a novice. She always had this I-know-what-I-want-to-be-and-I-will-achieve-it attitude without a trace of arrogance in it. She is supremely confident.
"Speak to the people whom she began her career with her and they will only reiterate this statement. Never once was the Should-I-or-should-I-not?' attitude ever visible with her.
"An instance I remember was when we were on a show. We missed the train. There was panic and chaos and confusion galore. Everyone was snapping at each other, but she was cool. Very composed and thinking because she had an exam to give the following day. Even under such circumstances she was composed..." she ended.
To a large extent, it is that composure that got her the Miss India crown. Hopefully, it will see her through the rest of her dreams.
K S Sanjay is now an ardent fan of Lara
Lara Dutta’s triumph—and generosity—recalled
The year 2000 was a special year for India in beauty pageant world. Lara Dutta gave us the Miss Universe crown and then followed by Dia Mirza at Miss Asia Pacific and Priyanka Chopra at Miss World. Having seen Miss World and Miss Universe, I thought Lara was more impressive in Miss Universe. Not that Priyanka Chopra was the lesser. Priyanka charmed us in Miss India and Miss World in her own way but for me Lara impress me the most.
She had said she applied for Miss India 1999 and her focus was on winning the Miss Universe title and nothing else. But she withdrew her application because if she ever was going to become Miss India, she was going to be Miss India of the millennium. So the following year she applied and she became the Millennium of Miss India. Such was her confidence that one wonders Can we have another Miss India like her again. The answer is a big NO.
At Femina Miss India, 2000, the night belongs to her. From the beginning to the end, it was all about Lara. She was so good on stage. During the opening round there were photographers taking a photo shoot of the contestants walking on the stage. Lara did it like a supermodel. From her catwalk to her poise to her expression she screamed Miss Universe all over her face. It was like watching an International Pageant. I love the way she turns and moves, stop to pose and walks away from the chasing photographers. Look at her expression at that moment, the attitude and the confidence of a queen who is so control of herself and so calm despite the look-alike chaos on stage, it was mind-blowing and impressive.
At the top 10 interview round she impressed everyone and got the loudest cheer. Miss India Universe was written all over her face. The rests were fighting for the 2nd and 3rd place. Even the host Malaika Arora Khan nodded in awe of her answers in between. Waheeda Rehman asked her, “Is it really difficult to be a beautiful person?” Lara replied, “As someone else down this line, one of my contestants said ‘beauty lies within you’ and I think that if you are a beautiful person from inside, if you have a belief in yourself, if you trust yourself and you have confidence and determination to fight the odds, the stamina to last forever, conviction from within, a dream to be victorious that makes you a beautiful person and it’s not that difficult.” The judges and the crowd cheered with a thunderous applause.
The top 5 came; Lara was called on stage, she got the loudest cheered again. There was a common question: ”If you were a police officer in the Eden garden, who would you punish for the original sin – Adam, Eves or the serpent?” Lara: “If I was the police officer in the garden of Eden, I’ll take all three of them to the court. Every person in live is faced with temptation. You must be able to decide for yourself, make your own choices and live by your own rules and above all fear God cause he is everywhere.”
Oh my God ! Look at her, the way she said it so confidently and convincingly with a smile on her face. That was brilliant and Even Malaika the host couldn’t agree more. There was a tie, and she had to go through a same common question again. It must have been nerve wrecking for the top 5 girls but among them Lara was the most confident who was so calm and ease with herself. It was like she owned the stage. Of course, She did!
The common question this time was “If ignorance is bliss then why do we seek knowledge?” Lara: ”Knowledge is something every man is endowed with and it is upto him to make use of it. Thirst for knowledge drives every man. They say every man dies but very few men really lived. And what is life without knowledge. Would you go through life without passing something on to your children?”
The way she spoke and delivered her answers, it was so theatrical and her endings to her answers were interesting. Her command over English and the way she pauses after each sentence and pronounce each word so clearly is really impressive. It is like she is reading out a literature. I haven’t seen any beauty queen who spoke like her apart from former Miss World Diana Hayden. Her husky voice is to die for.
She won Miss India Universe and was all set to conquer the Universe. The judges and many people who were associated with her during her training thought she was definitely going to win Miss Universe. There was no doubt about that. Many praised for her dedication, determination and focus during pre and post Femina Miss India training. Lara knew she was going to compete with the best of the best at Miss Universe. She worked hard and it paid off. But for me the irony is that I didn’t find any change in her. She was still the same beauty queen I saw at Miss India unlike other beauty queens who transformed. She was the the same Lara who was breathtaking, stunning, gorgeous, and witty and the list goes on. At the Miss Universe contest she was a Queen who was just waiting to conquer another territory which wasn’t familiar with her wits and charm. Then she became a favourite of the press and fans. The only thing left for her was to speak on Miss Universe stage and wins people who weren’t familiar with her. The final night came, I was all excited and praying hard she wins. The stage was spectacular and the opening number with the delegates in white dress dancing around with the glow balls. It looked like a tribute to the Goddess Aphrodisiac which was incidentally the birthplace of Aphrodite also known as the Lady of Cyprus i.e. in Cyprus. Lara definitely matched upto being an Aphrodite goddess – the goddess of beauty, love and desire.
The top 10 were announced. This time the top 10 interview was axed and instead there was an introductory opening walk with a background voice-over introduction about the delegates. Lara did so well in this segment. She walked like a supermodel and she owned the stage with her runway skills. The way she moved and stop to pose was truly beautiful in a dramatic way and eye-catching indeed. In the swimsuit round, she was amazing. I love her perfect toned body. I think she is the only Miss India after Madhu Sapre to have such a perfect swimsuit body and till now no Miss India can match up to her – be it her runway skills or her toned body. Miss India’s in the past always failed either in swimsuit or in Evening gown round. I am sure Lara knows all this and prepared herself to be the best she can be at Miss Universe.
In the swimsuit round the background song was fun, peppy and catchy. She matched up her ramp walked with the background score. Her walked was so vibrant and when she stopped to pose bringing her right leg behind her left leg she was vivacious. No wonder she topped the swimsuit round and won Oscar De la Renta Best in Swimsuit. In the evening gown round, she wore a red gown with a scarf around her wrist. Lara definitely have a stage presence and knows how to project herself on stage and how to walk in each different round. She chose to walk a bit slower but calmly so that she was in tune with the slow and romantic song ‘Careless Whisper.’ This is what I called true beauty queen who knows how and what to deliver at each round. She exudes warmth, elegant and grace. I love the way she works her gown while posing at the centre stage. It was splendid to see her placing her scarf lying out open and let it flow freely and smoothly away from the gown. That was extraordinary. Who can forget that she carried the red dress so elegantly it just shined on her and those shining coming out from her gown reflects her personality so well.
Then at the top 5, she showed why she should win and deserved the Miss Universe title. Sinbad asked why she wanted to do skydiving. Adventurous Lara explained that she clocked in so much time as a passenger on a plane since both her father and sister were pilots that she wanted to try skydiving. When asked about women politicians in comparison to men, Lara responded that the difference lies in the degree of sensitivity carried by the women and women in India are very strong and are very well-educated (those that are educated) and are standing shoulder to shoulder with men and making a mark in their own field. She also was asked to demonstrate a classical Indian dance called ‘Bharatanatyam’ but she explained that she couldn’t do it in the gown she was wearing since she needed to squat to dance and she explained the concept behind that particular style of dance and showed three hand gestures that are part of the dance. She had such poise and eloquence. After this round people who weren’t familiar with her got to see her wit and intelligence side of her besides her beauty and charm. She was definitely the one to beat. She got the loudest cheered like her Miss India days. There was no stopping for her. She was there to win and she wasn’t coming back without a crown.
The Final question, “Right now there’s a protest that had been staged in outside the stadium posing pageants as an affront to women. Convince them that they are wrong.” Lara impressed the judges with her answered, “Pageants like Miss Universe give us young women a platform to foray in the fields that we want to and forge ahead, be it entrepreneurship, be it the armed forces, be it politics.” And added, “It gives us a platform to voice our choices and opinions and it makes us strong and independent that we are today.” When she took the microphone from Sinbad, she pulled in the audience and exudes so much of warmth and confidence. She knows how to work on the audience.
When Lara and Claudia from Venezuela were the last two standing, it was like Claudia was telling Lara it was she who was the winner. And she did. She became India’s 2nd Miss Universe. Before leaving for Miss Universe she had said she would come back with the crown. Boy! I love that confidence of her. She was so focused. She did came back with the crown. Simi Garewal on the popular talk show ‘Rendezvous with Simi Garewal” asked her, “What’s been easier – winning the miss universe title or navigating Bollywood?” She replied, “Winning the miss universe title was easier because I came from the glamour industry and I was already a model. It wasn’t very difficult to go out there to be articulate, present yourself well, and look good. You know it’s a lot more my cup of tea.”
Do you know despite being so competitive she is also very helpful. During Miss India contest, former Miss World, Priyanka Chopra had said during Miss India contest she didn’t know anything about make-up and Lara helped her with all the make-up. Simi questioned her, “You help her and taught her how to do her make-up. And you also took Dia under your wing… how unusual and how generous.” Lara said, “With me, you keep your focus is where you wanted it to be. My entire focus was winning Miss India Universe title and Miss Universe. The entire focus is there but at the same time you don’t forget that you’re human you know and achievements or failures without trying to sound morbid but once you’re gone, aren’t really going to matter. Your achievements or your failures, you take nothing with you and you get very few moments in life to really reach out and to do something for someone and those are the moments that make life. They do and if I can’t do that than I am not living and I don’t want any of it if I can’t have that, cause that’s most important thing to me.”
So can we say Priyanka and Dia won partly because of her?
Priyanka Chopra
From the 2000 archives of The Tribune India
Priyanka crowned Miss World
LONDON, Dec 1 (PTI) — A cool and confident Miss India, Priyanka Chopra, charmed the world with her smile to become the fourth Indian in seven years to win the prestigious Miss World crown and keep the title home for the second consecutive year.
It was a moving and emotional moment for the 18-year-old belle as she took the crown from compatriot Yukta Mookhey here last night, amidst wide applause and cheers that greeted the hot favourite, who outsmarted 94 other damsels from across the world for the title.
Priyanka’s achievement, which follows Lara Dutta’s Miss Universe title in May, was reminiscent of 1994, when Ashwairya Rai and Sushmita Sen became Miss World and Miss Universe setting the trend for Indian winners in world beauty pageants.
A small goof notwithstanding, when she named Mother Teresa as “the most successful living woman”, Priyanka’s command over English and retention of nerves made her richer by $ 1,00,000 in the 50th year of the pageant.
Answering a question from Jerry Springer, famous American TV personality, the host of the two and half hours show telecast live for two billion people in 150 countries, Priyanka said she considered Mother Teresa as the most successful woman for her compassion and love and serving the leprosy patients with a smile.
The question was “who do you think is the most successful woman living today and why?”
The first runner-up for Miss World 2000 was Giorgia Palmas, 18, of Italy and the second runner-up was 20-year-old Yuksel Ak of Turkey.
Priyanka, a senior college student from a family of defence personnel, said she aspired to be a clinical psychologist and “enjoyed” dancing, listening to music, and reading and was associated with anti-polio and AIDS awareness drives.
The two other contestants to make it to the finals were Margarita Kravtsova of Kazakhstan and 18-year-old Thumsen Grien from Uruguay.
“I write poetry although none of my work has been published except in school magazines,” Priyanka who was 6 to 1 favourite at Ladbrokes, well-known betting house, said.
The golden jubilee year of the beauty pageant was a special evening studded not only with who’s who from the music and fashion worlds, but with most of the previous Miss Worlds to mark its 50th anniversary.
India’s first Miss World, Reita Faria Powell graced the occasion along with the Miss World 1952, May Louise Flodin of Sweden and an array of earlier Miss Worlds. Though former Miss World from India Diana Hayden was present Aishwarya Rai was conspicuous by her absence.
The panel of judges included well-known figures from the world of glamour, including Indian designer Hemant Trivedi.
Indianness took Priyanka to the winner’s podium
NEW DELHI: For the middle class girl from Bareilly, it was not her physical beauty but her “Indianness” which took Priyanka to the winner’s podium at Miss World 2000 contest in London.
“My morals and values, which I inherit because I am an Indian, are embedded deeply in me. Nobody else can boast of the same kind of upbringing. I think that is what is going to make all the difference,” said a confident Priyanka, who was a hot favourite for the coveted title.
The dusky beauty, born on July 18, 1982 to army doctor Ashok Chopra and his wife Madhu Chopra, had a varied upbringing, that gave her the confidence, the poise and the intelligence which has stood her in good stead.
Though the 18-year-old quit studies owing to her involvement in beauty pageants in India and abroad, Priyanka said aspiring youngsters should plan their careers instead of following the beauty contests blindly.
“They should know the background we come from. The youngsters should not leave their studies and follow the models blindly. Whosoever has done it (quit studies), is regretting (the decision),” the winner said, adding she plans to continue her studies.
As for her future plans, she said she would continue to work for thalassemic children, besides being associated with the Pulse Polio and AIDS awareness programmes.
Priyanka’s family thrilled
From Rahul Das
Tribune News Service
AMBALA, Nov 1 — “We are feeling on top of the world,” say family members of the beauty queen, the new Miss World Priyanka Chopra.
Grandparents, uncle and cousins of Priyanka Chopra, who was crowned the new Miss World early this morning, are thrilled about her achievement.
Talking to The Tribune, Priyanka Chopra’s grandmother, Mrs Champa Chopra, said that she was extremely happy to learn about the news. “I cannot describe how happy I felt on learning that Mimi (Priyanka is affectionately called by that name by her family members) has become the Miss World,” she said.
The phone at Staff Road, Ambala cantonment, the residence of the Chopras, has not stopped ringing since she became Miss World.
Mrs Champa Chopra said she had wished Priyanka good luck before she left for the Miss World beauty pageant. “I spoke to her on the phone before she was leaving. I told her that from my side, she has already become the Miss World. I am so glad that she has achieved it,” she said.
Priyanka’s uncle, Mr Pawan Chopra, said they watched the Miss World beauty pageant throughout the night. “When Priyanka’s name was announced it was an out of this world feeling. It is a matter of great pride and joy for us,” he said.
Mr Pawan Chopra said they had been receiving congratulatory calls from all over the world. “Immediately, after Priyanka became Miss World, her father and my elder brother, Lieut-Col (retd) Ashok Chopra called us up from London to convey the good news. Priyanka’s mother, Mrs Madhu Chopra, is also there,” he said.
He said since childhood, Priyanka had been a confident girl who was active in all spheres of life. “She used to spend her vacations with us in Ambala and she used to love eating pickles prepared by my mother,” he said. “We are yet to speak to Priyanka after her historic achievement,” he added.
Mr Pawan Chopra said he had spoken to Priyanka during the rounds taking place at Maldives. “Priyanka was the youngest contestant and she was under pressure. I spoke to her and reassured her of our complete confidence in her,” he said.
Mrs Reena Chopra, wife of Mr Pawan Chopra, observed that Priyanka was a very level-headed girl. “Despite winning the crown, she was quiet normal during her visit to Ambala early this year,” she said.
Young cousins of Priyanka, Shivang, Sahaj and Parineeti, are overjoyed with the success of “Mimi didi”. Shivang, who is a student of Army School, said that he has told his school mates and teachers about Priyanka didi becoming Miss World. “My teacher said very good when I told her about didi becoming Miss World,” he said.
Earlier this year in February, talking to The Tribune, Priyanka Chopra who had come to Ambala to meet her grandparents after winning the Femina Miss India World crown said that although she was never keen for modelling “I always felt like a princess. Specially after Sushmita Sen was crowned Miss Universe, I had this secret desire to become like her.”
Eighteen-year-old Priyanka Chopra had then said “I had even made a collage of Sushmita Sen in my room. She was, one could say, a role model for me.”
To a query, Priyanka Chopra had then said that despite winning the crown, nothing had changed in her life. “I am absolutely the same person but definitely the sense of responsibility had increased,” she had said with a disarming smile.
Granny brought up Priyanka
Chopra was, inter alia, adjudged ‘Most Beautiful in Swim Suit at the beach’
BAREILLY, Dec 1 (UNI) — Mrs Madhu Jyotsana Akhauri, maternal grandmother of Priyanka Chopra, finds it hard to believe the little girl who was playing on her lap the other day has become a beauty queen winning the Miss World title.
“I watched the mega event the whole night and felt on top of the world when Mimi was adjudged the Winner”, she said. Priyanka was crowned Miss World at a glittering function in London last night.
This small town in Rohelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh has woken up to the fact that it is the home town of a beauty queen. Everywhere, people are discussing the mega event.
“I cannot believe the girl who was playing in our lap till yesterday has achieved this feat”, Mrs Akhauri said. Priyanka’s parents, Dr Ashok Chopra and Dr Madhu Chopra, had accompanied their daughter to London.
She credits Priyanka’s success to her determination and self confidence but also lauds the role of her daughter Dr Madhu Chopra behind the success of Priyanka.
The proud “nani” said it was she who practically brought up Priyanka as both her parents were employed.
Born on July 18, 1982, Priyanka, after completing her class X from St Maria Goretti School here, was pursuing her further studies at the Army School. At that time, she wanted to become a criminal psychologist, the grandmother recalls fondly.
However, winning the “May Queen” contest at Bareilly Club last year changed all that. She decided to take the plunge into the field of glamour and went on to take part in the Femina Miss India contest and the rest is history.
The 18-year-old idolises sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar and is greatly influenced by both Indian classical and western music. Priyanka relishes Indian, Mexican and Spanish food and is specially attached to her 11-year-old brother Siddhartha, she said.
Meanwhile, Bareilly, widely known for its “surma” and “jhumka”, is jubilant today over the success of Priyanka and the recognition it has brought to the town.
A banner reading “mimi, we are proud of you” hangs at a hotel on the station road here. Almost every one watched the whole contest on TV last night and felt proud over Priyanka’s success, the fifth Indian to be crowned the Miss World.
Another city hotel has decided to set up a fan cub of Priyanka while some local businessmen are planning to give the world’s longest greeting card to Priyanka on her return to get the town listed in the Guiness Book of World Records.
Dia Mirza
Dia Mirza: The journey of an Eternal Beauty queen | April 27, 2016 | IndiaTimes/ The Times of India
Dia Mirza was hand-picked by destiny to win the crown of Miss Asia Pacific 2000. She was the first Indian contestant to win this title in 29 years, completing a hat-trick of international wins for India in that year. Miss India Asia Pacific 2000 was one of the many milestones that she’s achieved and it marked the beginning of a beautiful journey ahead.
After winning the Miss Asia Pacific 2000 title, Dia Mirza gave a perfect start to her Bollywood career with an award-winning debut in the film, ‘Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein.’ She appeared in over 40 movies like ‘Tehzeeb,’ ‘Dum,’ ‘Deewanapan,’ ‘Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge’ and many more.
Dia Mirza was born as Dia Handrich in Hyderabad to a German father and a Bengali mother. Miss Beautiful Smile and the Sony Viewers’ Choice Award are some titles bestowed upon her. She was also the second runner-up at Femina Miss India 2000.
Related articles on Indpaedia
Miss India contests: History <> Miss India contests: Behind the scenes <> Miss India winners: 1947-58 <> Miss Ind1a winners: 1959-61 <> Miss India winners: 1962-64 <> Miss India winners: 1965 <> Miss India winners: 1966 <> Miss India winners: 1967 <> Miss India winners: 1968 <> Miss India winners: 1969 <> Miss India winners: 1970 <> Miss India winners: 1971 <> Miss India winners: 1972 <> Miss India winners: 1973 <> Miss India winners: 1974 <> Miss India winners: 1975 <> Miss India winners: 1976 <> Miss India winners: 1977 <> Miss India winners: 1978 <> Miss India winners: 1979 <> Miss India winners: 1980 <> Miss India winners: 1981 <> Miss India winners: 1982 <> Miss India winners: 1983 <> Miss India winners: 1984 <> Miss India winners: 1985 <> Miss India winners: 1986 <> Miss India winners: 1987 <> Miss India winners: 1988-89 <> Miss India winners: 1989/ 90 <> Miss India winners: 1991 <> Miss India winners: 1992 <> Miss India winners: 1993 <> Miss India winners: 1994 <> Miss India winners: 1995 <> Miss India winners: 1996 <> Miss India winners: 1997 <> Miss India winners: 1998 <> Miss India winners: 1999 <> Miss India winners: 2000 <> Miss India winners: 2001 <> Miss India winners: 2002 <> Miss India winners: 2003 <> Miss India winners: 2004 <> Miss India winners: 2005 <> Miss India winners: 2006 <> Miss India winners: 2007 <> Miss India winners: 2008 <> Miss India winners: 2009 <> Miss India winners: 2010 <> Miss India winners: 2011 <> Miss India winners: 2012 <> Miss India winners: 2013 <> Miss India winners: 2014 (regional) <> Miss India winners: 2014 <> Miss India 2015: regional winners <> Miss India winners: 2015 <> Miss India 2016: regional winners <> Miss India winners: 2016<> Miss India 2017: regional winners <> <>Miss India winners: 2017 <> Miss India Universe/ Diva 2017 <> Miss India 2018: regional winners <> Miss India winners: 2018 <> Miss India Universe/ Diva 2018
