It's been 17 years since an Indian was crowned Miss World, with the last being Priyanka Chopra in 2000. But last Friday, 20-year-old Manushi Chhillar broke that streak, making Indians everywhere proud. She was crowned Miss World in China, out of a pool of 121 extraordinary women. She is the sixth Indian woman to do so, thereby tying India with Venezuela as the country that has produced the most beauty queens.
Her Journey© Reuters
Manushi is from Haryana and says it has always been her dream to represent India on an international platform. “As a kid, I always wanted to participate in the competition but I never knew I would make it this far,” she says, adding that it was a journey she would never forget.
She was born to two brilliant parents, which may help account for her stellar academic career. Her father is Dr. Mitra Basu Chhillar, a scientist at India's Defense Research and Development Organization while her mother, Dr. Neelam Chhillar, is head of neurochemistry at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences. Although Manushi was born in Rohtak, she studied in St. Thomas School in Delhi, which she feels gave her a much-needed dose of confidence.
After school, she attended the Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women in Sonepat, in hopes of becoming a cardiac surgeon (she is currently in her third year). Medicine and beauty pageants may not seem to go together, but Manushi says her medical training helped her prepare for the rigors of the Miss World competition: “When you are studying medicine, you are learning how to deal with people and you understand why they act the way they do."
She describes herself as a nerd, but there's much more to her personality. She is also a poet, a painter and a trained Kuchipudi dancer. Her mother introduced her to dance at a young age, where she learned to love the stage. According to Manushi, “I was always focused on my studies and wanted to be a doctor, but I would also dream of being at a beauty pageant at least once in my life.”
This was considerably complicated for her, considering her family background. Nobody in her family had ever considered the entertainment or modelling industry to be a viable career: she was the first in the family. When she found out that they were holding auditions for Miss India, she didn't let her medical career slide – she fit workout sessions and pageant training sessions in between classes. Her dedication and hard work explains the trajectory of her journey from Haryana to last June (when she was crowned the Femina Miss India World) and, of course, to her Miss World win.
Her Ethos© BCCL
'Manushi' means humanity. The new Miss World says that her parents believed that she would change the world someday, and she's already started! The proof of her conviction is that she didn't just win Miss World: she also won the Head to Head challenge and the 'Beauty with a Purpose' title.
“Since her childhood,” says her aunt, “she liked playing with dolls and dressing up. But she also wanted to serve the people. Even though she has become Miss World she will go on to complete her medical studies.”
Besides her surgeon aspirations, Manushi is dedicated to helping women and girls through her 'Project Shakti', which is an initiative to empower poor rural women and help them earn their livelihoods. She has also visited about twenty villages in an effort to spread awareness on hygiene, a cause that is very dear to her heart. She estimates that she has managed to make a difference in about five thousand women's lives through her efforts.
Her motto in life – which has been exemplified in her life thus far - is "When you cease to dream, you cease to live.” These dreams seem to extend beyond the typical Bollywood aspirants. When asked whether she would strive to emulate her predecessors - Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra- Manushi said: “I feel that Miss India is a stepping stone for anything you want to do, not just Bollywood.”
Her InspirationIt was easy to predict Manushi's win, because of her stellar answer during the Q&A final round. When asked “Which profession deserves the highest salary and why?” she replied, “A mother. I think a mother deserves the highest respect and when you talk about salary it's not always about cash but I feel it's the love and respect that you give to someone. My mother has always been the biggest inspiration in my life. All mothers sacrifice so much for their kids.”
She cited her mother as her best friend during the Head to Head challenge, too, saying that she was thrilled to be compared to her mother. Like most desi girls, it's clear that family ties are very important to her. (All five members of her family were present when she won the Miss World title, clapping and cheering her on.) But she says she will never tell them about the dates she goes on!
Her RoutineManushi follows a carefully designed regime in order to keep her body svelte and in good health, which comes as no surprise. She eats plenty of lentils, quinoa, oatmeal, and sautéed vegetables, and does yoga with her personal trainer. She also makes sure to drink 3 litres of water a day and switches her mobile phone off 2 hours before going to bed. Eating breakfast every day is a must, says her nutritionist. She eats regular meals and uses smaller plates in order to avoid temptation.
The Girl Behind the Crown© BCCL
When you watch Manushi glide down the pageant stage, she looks so regal and confident that she appears older. But in interviews, you see a spunky girl fresh out of her teens, who describes cheese and chocolate as her guilty pleasures. Ask her about the worst pickup line she's ever heard, and she says, “An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but I'll give up on apples if the doctor is you.”
What would she do if she was a guy? She says, “I would hit on Manushi Chhillar.” Clearly, the girl doesn't lack in humour! When Shashi Tharoor cracked a joke about demonetization at her expense, she took it with good grace, saying there was “chill” within Chhillar.
Manushi's idea of celebration is to have dinner with her family and close friends, which is something she hasn't done in a while now. She also loves shopping for shoes, Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and binge-watching Game of Thrones. However, all TV binges will have to wait, because she doesn't even have the time to get a solid 8 hours of sleep a night! Here's hoping she has time to enjoy her success. As Priyanka Chopra tweeted to her young successor: “cherish and learn, and most importantly enjoy it. Bravo.”
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