21 years since the last title. And, she’s 21 too!

Twenty one years ago, when India’s Lara Dutta was crowned Miss Universe in Cyprus, Harnaaz Sandhu was just two months old. While Lara might have felt she had big shoes to fill — six years had passed since an Indian, Sushmita Sen, was crowned Miss Universe — it was almost as if Harnaaz had been preparing for this her entire life. At 21 years of age, the young woman from Chandigarh has become the third Indian to be crowned Miss Universe at the pageant held in Israel. Harnaaz was presented the crown by Andrea Meza, former Miss Universe 2020 from Mexico, after she beat contestants from 79 other countries.

I am immensely grateful to the Almighty, my parents, and the Miss India Organization for guiding and supporting me throughout. Loads of love to everyone who prayed and wished the crown for me. Bringing the glorious crown back after 21 years to India is a moment of greatest pride.

Harnaaz Sandhu

The only Indian to land in the top 3 after Lara was Adline Castelino, who after two decade was declared the third runner-up at the 2020 pageant held in Florida. In the year 2001, Celina Jaitley was placed in the top 5, having been declared the fourth runner-up.

After Harnaaz’s win on Monday, her brother Harnoor called the win a “proud moment.” He told Hindustan Times, “It is such a proud moment. I can’t even express our feelings. Harnaaz remains calm most of the time and is very focused. She knew from her school days that she has to clinch this title.” Harnaaz seeks inspiration from her mother Ravinder Kaur, who broke patriarchal norms and went on to become a gynaecologist.

Lara posted a touching note on Twitter to congratulate her successor from the country, welcoming her to the ‘Miss Universe club’. Expressing her pride, Lara wrote that the country had waited 21 years for this moment, and Harnaaz made a billion dreams come true with her historic win. Sushmita Sen, too, sent a shoutout to Harnaaz, thanking her for ‘representing India so beautifully’ and called her ‘Har Hindustani ki Naz’. Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra posted a video from the 2021 pageant on her Instagram story to congratulate Harnaaz for bringing the crown home after 21 years.

Harnaaz clinched the title of the 70th Miss Universe with her advice to young women on how to deal with the pressures they face in the final question and answer round. “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’s happening worldwide,” she said.

Harnaaz, who has been competing in pageants since her teenage years, had won the titles of Miss Guruharsahai 2016, Miss Ferozepur 2017 and Miss Max Emerging Star India 2018. She won Femina Miss India Punjab in 2019, and was subsequently placed in the top 12 at Femina Miss India. After winning the title of Miss Diva 2021, she became eligible to represent India at Miss Universe 2021. 

The Punjabi woman celebrated her win by saying ‘Chak De Fatte India’, in a video posted by the official Miss Universe handle on the same day. Harnaaz, who is pursuing a master’s degree in public administration, has also worked in Punjabi films. 

Earlier in the pageant, host Steve Harvey had asked Harnaaz to mimic an animal, given her hobby of doing such impersonations. Harnaaz, who had already won a spot in the semi-finals, said that she couldn’t believe she was going going to mimic an animal (a cat) on a world stage. While the question request on a world stage received criticism, Harnaaz won applause from both the event audience and social media users for her confidence.