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India's Harnaaz Sandhu is crowned Miss Universe 2021

Harnaaz Sandhu of India was crowned Miss Universe 2021 on Sunday, marking the end of a controversial pageant hosted this year in southern Israel.

In a speech on stage during the pageant, Sandhu urged young people to "know that you are unique and that's what makes you beautiful, stop comparing yourself to others.

"I believed in myself, and that's why I'm standing here today," she added, to loud applause from the audience.

The pageant was held in the resort city of Eilat, with 80 women from around the world competing for the crown. Sunday night was the last day of the competition, with eliminations narrowing down the number of finalists until the last two remained.

Nadia Ferreira of Paraguay and Lalela Mswane of South Africa were the first and second runners-up, respectively.

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The competition was hosted by comedian Steve Harvey, who at one point in the night asked Sandhu, "I hear you do some pretty good animal impersonations, let's hear your best one."

Harvey was later criticized online for singling her out with what many have suggested was an inappropriate question.

"Oh my god, Steve, I was not expecting to do this on the world stage. I have to do this, I have no other option. Brace yourselves, everyone," she said looking surprised, before demonstrating a few meows.

At a later Q&A session, when Sandhu had reached the top 5, she took the opportunity to spread a message on climate change. "This is the time to take action and talk less," she said. "Prevent and protect is better than repent and repair."

After her win was announced, she celebrated with other contestants on stage, shouting to a camera, "Chak de Phatte India," a Punjabi exclamation similar in meaning to "Let's do this, India!"

Politics threatens to outshine pageantry as Israel stages Miss Universe contest

This year's competition marks the second Covid-era Miss Universe pageant. Israel's borders were set to open to vaccinated tourists ahead of the main event this year, which would have allowed thousands of fans to attend.

But with the emergence of the new Omicron variant, the Israeli government shut its borders to foreigners two weeks before the competition, throwing travel plans and preparations into chaos. One contestant, Miss France, tested positive for the virus upon landing in Israel and had to quarantine -- getting out just in time for the preliminary competition on Friday.

The pageant was also wrapped in another layer of political controversy, with some critics and countries calling for boycotts -- as with previous international events hosted in Israel.

The South African government withdrew its support and called on Mswane to drop out, citing Israeli treatment of Palestinians, calling it "apartheid," a charge Israel has vehemently denied. But Mswane -- with the backing of the Miss South Africa organization -- chose to travel to Israel and compete.

Other figures, including Miss Israel, Noa Cochva, responded with a common refrain heard from pageant organizers and contestants: Miss Universe should not be about politics.

Israel was one of the first countries to begin vaccinating its population and had reached a high vaccination rate by May this year, when the country was approached about hosting the December competition, according to a spokesperson from Israel's Ministry of Tourism.

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At the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), we’re on a mission to minimize our environmental impact without sacrificing tradition or a platform for self-expression. This is why MUO has released the first digital edition of the program book to reduce our carbon footprint and save approximately 175,000 pages of paper. 

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Own your copy of the 70th Miss Universe Program Book for just $14.99

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MISS UNIVERSE

HARNAAZ SANDHU

Harnaaz Sandhu was crowned MISS UNIVERSE at the 70th MISS UNIVERSE Competition live from Eilat, Israel in December 2021 at the age of 21, bringing the crown back to India for the first time in 20 years.    She 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. Professionally, Harnaaz is an actor with two Punjabi films slated for release in 2022, and hopes to break stereotypes that the world has for women.  

Her favorite actor is Priyanka Chopra, and she draws inspiration from her body of work. 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."