Femina Miss India
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|
| Formation | 1964 |
|---|---|
| Type | Beauty Pageant |
| Headquarters | Mumbai, India |
| Location | |
Membership | Miss Universe Miss World Miss Earth Miss International Miss Supranational Miss United Continent Miss Asia Pacific World Miss Heritage World Bride of the World |
Official language | Standard Hindi, English |
| Website | feminamissindia |
Miss India or Femina Miss India is a national beauty pageant in India that annually selects representatives to compete globally. The winner of Femina Miss India goes to Miss World, while the first runner up competes in Miss Earth, and the second runner up goes to compete in Miss International.[1] It is organised by Femina, a women's magazine published by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.
Femina Miss India used to select three winners who were then sent to Miss World, Miss Universe, and Miss Asia Pacific pageants, respectively. In 1994, after India's historic win at the International pageants, the organization ended the practice of crowning a single winner and instead decided that the top three winners were designated as winners with equal visibility and prizes.[2] In 2002, the third winner was designated to Miss Earth instead of Miss Asia Pacific. In 2010, Femina Miss India decided that they would no longer send a representative to Miss Universe, and relinquished the Miss Universe franchise, choosing instead to designate the third winner to represent India in Miss International pageant. In 2013 Femina Miss India awarded the franchise back after I AM She – Miss Universe India concluded their contract with Miss Universe Organization. Times of India now organizes a small-scale separate pageant called "Indian Diva" to select India's representative to Miss Universe.
The 50th edition of Ponds Femina Miss India 2013 was held in Mumbai on 24 March 2013. The show was telecast live on Colors (TV channel).
History
The first Miss India was Pramila (Esther Victoria Abraham), from Calcutta, who won in 1947.[1] [2]
Over the years, Indian participation in the international picture has grown.
International pageants
Miss India has been participating in the Miss Universe pageant since 1952, starting with Indrani Rehman and in the Miss World pageant since 1959, starting with Fleur Ezekiel. Historically, the Femina Miss India pageant sent the winner of the pageant to the Miss Universe pageant, and Eve's Weekly, a rival women's publication sent the winner of its Miss India contest to Miss World. In the late 80s, Femina acquired the rights to send a representative to Miss World as well, and started to send the winner to Miss Universe and the runner-up to the Miss World contest. In 1994, following India's historic dual wins at both Miss Universe and Miss World, the custom of crowning a single winner was discontinued. Instead, the top three placers were each designated a winner, with equal prizes, visibility and responsibilities, and crowned Femina Miss India-Universe, Femina Miss India-World, and Femina Miss India-Asia Pacific. In 2002, the third title was changed to Femina Miss India-Earth, to designate India's representation at the newly launched Miss Earth pageant, focused on the cause of environmental advocacy. From 2007 to 2009, three equal winners were selected going to Miss Universe, Miss World, and Miss Earth.[3][4] In 2010, Femina Miss India decided to stop sending representatives to the Miss Universe pageant entirely, choosing instead to send a crowned winner to Miss International.
The awards for 1989 were given at the end of the year (December); hence there was no separate contest for 1990.
In 1994, Sushmita Sen won the Miss Universe title after winning the Miss India crown and became the first Indian woman ever to win the Miss Universe crown. The same year the runner-up of Miss India, Aishwarya Rai, won the Miss World title. Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai established themselves in the Bollywood industry after winning their titles.
The success of Rai and Sen spawned coaching institutions which were set up to groom young women in pageant participation skills. The number of participants in the preliminary rounds of the pageant has increased considerably. Miss India World 1997, Diana Hayden won the title of Miss World 1997. In 1999, the Miss India runner-up Yukta Mookhey went on to win the Miss World that year.
In 2000, three of the Miss India winners won their respective international pageants — Lara Dutta (Miss Universe), Priyanka Chopra (Miss World) and Diya Mirza (Miss Asia Pacific). The other countries to have won all three major titles in one year were Australia in 1972 and Philippines in 2013.
In 2010, Nicole Faria became the first Indian to win the Miss Earth title in Vietnam, which leaves Miss International as the only major international pageant that has not been won by an Indian contestant.
Controversies
Controversies erupted in the year 2008 when president of Gladrags, Maureen Wadia, served a legal notice to the newly crowned Pantaloons Femina Miss India Earth 2008, Harshita Saxena for violation of a two-year exclusive contract with Gladrags which had been signed by Harshita in 2006. To participate in any other beauty pageant, Harshita would have required a written letter of no-objection from Gladrags. Earlier in an interview with CNN-IBN Maureen Wadia said, "Harshita Saxena from Goa is a Gladrags model. She was a part of my Megamodel Contract in April 2006. Her contract has not expired and Harshita has entered in some other contest before the contract has expired. The contract clearly said that she has to take my permission." Owing to this, Harshita had to give up the title and the crown passed on to Tanvi Vyas who represented India in the Miss Earth 2008 pageant held in November 2008.[5] Harshita was later placed fourth in Miss India 2009 and represented India in Miss International 2009.
Tantra Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (TEPL), in partnership with Sushmita Sen, started a new pageant called I Am She – Miss Universe India. The winner of this pageant will participate in the Miss Universe pageant.[6]
In 1989, the winner Kalpana Pandit was found to have misrepresented her nationality (she was holding an American passport); she was stripped of her title and Dolly Mihas was declared winner.[7]
In 2004, Lakshmi Pandit (sister of Kalpana Pandit) was initially declared as the winner but had to return the title as she was married (to Siddarth Mishra); Sayali Bhagat was ultimately declared as the winner. The Pandit sisters are from Mysore, Karnataka. They are M.B.B.S graduates.[8]
Titleholders
The following women have been crowned Femina Miss India:
India representatives to International pageants
The following women have represented India in international pageants:
Representatives to Miss World
India did not send delegates in 1967, 1965, 1964, 1963
| Year | Representative | State | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Navneet Kaur Dhillon | Punjab | |
| 2012 | Vanya Mishra | Chandigarh | Top 7 finalist, Beauty With a Purpose winner, Multimedia Award winner |
| 2011 | Kanishtha Dhankhar | Haryana | |
| 2010 | Manasvi Mamgai | Uttarakhand | Unplaced |
| 2009 | Pooja Chopra | Punjab | Semifinalist, Beauty With a Purpose winner |
| 2008 | Parvathy Omanakuttan | Kerala | 1st Runner-up, Continental Queen of Beauty – Asia Pacific |
| 2007 | Sarah Jane Dias | Karnataka | Unplaced |
| 2006 | Natasha Suri | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 2005 | Sindhura Gadde | Andhra Pradesh | Semifinalist |
| 2004 | Sayali Bhagat1 | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 2003 | Ami Vashi | Gujarat | Top 5 finalist |
| 2002 | Shruti Sharma | Uttar Pradesh | Semifinalist |
| 2001 | Sara Corner | Karnataka | Unplaced |
| 2000 | Priyanka Chopra | Jharkhand | Miss World 2000 |
| 1999 | Yukta Mookhey | Maharashtra | Miss World 1999 |
| 1998 | Annie Thomas | Kerala | Unplaced |
| 1997 | Diana Hayden | Andhra Pradesh | Miss World 1997,Miss Photogenic, Spectacular swimwear |
| 1996 | Rani Jeyraj | Tamil nadu | Top 5 finalist, Continental Queen of Beauty – Asia Pacific,Spectacular Evening Gown |
| 1995 | Preeti Mankotia | Karnataka | Unplaced |
| 1994 | Aishwarya Rai | Karnataka | Miss World 1994,Miss Photogenic |
| 1993 | Karminder Kaur-Virk | Chandigarh | Unplaced,Best in National costume |
| 1992 | Shyla Lopez | Karnataka | |
| 1991 | Ritu Singh | New Delhi | Semifinalist |
| 1990 | Naveeda Mehdi | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1988 | Anuradha Kottur | Maharashtra | |
| 1987 | Manisha Kohli | Maharashtra | |
| 1986 | Maureen Mary Lestourgeon | Maharashtra | |
| 1985 | Sharon Mary Clarke | Maharashtra | |
| 1984 | Suchita Kumar | Maharashtra | |
| 1983 | Sweety Grewal | Maharashtra | |
| 1982 | Uttara Mhatre Kher | Maharashtra | |
| 1981 | Deepti Divakar | Andhra Pradesh | |
| 1980 | Elizabeth Anita Reddi | Andhra Pradesh | Semifinalist |
| 1979 | Raina Winifred Mendonica | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1978 | Kalpana Iyer | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 1977 | Veena Prakash | Withdrew in protest against the presence of a white Miss South Africa | |
| 1976 | Naina Balsavar | Withdrew | |
| 1975 | Anjana Sood | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 1974 | Kiran Dholakia | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1972 | Malathi Basappa | Karnataka | 4th Runner-up |
| 1971 | Prema Narayan | Andhra Pradesh | Unplaced |
| 1970 | Heather Corinne Faville | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 1969 | Adina Shellim | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1968 | Jane Coelho | New Delhi | |
| 1966 | Reita Faria | Maharashtra | Miss World 1966 |
| 1962 | Ferial Karim | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 1961 | Veronica Leonora Torcato | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1960 | Iona Pinto | Maharashtra | |
| 1959 | Fleur Ezekiel | Maharashtra | Debut |
Representatives to Miss Earth
| Year | Representative | State | Ranking | Special Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Sobhita Dhulipala | Andhra Pradesh | Unplaced | Miss Photogenic, Miss Eco Beauty |
| 2012 | Prachi Mishra | Uttar Pradesh | Unplaced | Miss Friendship, Miss Congeniality |
| 2011 | Hasleen Kaur | Punjab | Unplaced | |
| 2010 | Nicole Faria | Karnataka | Miss Earth 2010 | Miss Talent |
| 2009 | Shriya Kishore | Maharashtra | Top 16 Semifinalist | |
| 2008 | Tanvi Vyas2 | Gujarat | Unplaced | |
| 2007 | Pooja Chitgopekar | Karnataka | 1st Runner-up (Miss Earth – Air) | |
| 2006 | Amruta Patki | Maharashtra | 1st Runner-up (Miss Earth – Air) | Best in Long Gown |
| 2005 | Niharika Singh | Uttarakhand | Unplaced | |
| 2004 | Jyoti Brahmin3 | West Bengal | Top 16 Semifinalist | |
| 2003 | Shweta Vijay | Kerala | Unplaced | |
| 2002 | Reshmi Ghosh | West Bengal | Unplaced | |
| 2001 | Shamita Singha | Maharashtra | Top 10 Semifinalist | Best in National Costume |
Representatives to Miss International
India did not send delegates to Miss International in 1963 -1967, 1972, 1977, 1989, 1990.
| Year | Representative | State | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Gurleen Grewal | Punjab | Unplaced |
| 2012 | Rochelle Maria Rao | Tamilnadu | Top 15 Semifinalist |
| 2011 | Ankita Shorey | Jammu & Kashmir | Unplaced |
| 2010 | Neha Hinge | Madhya Pradesh | Top 15 Semifinalist |
| 2009 | Harshita Saxena | Goa | Unplaced |
| 2008 | Radha Brahmbhatt | Gujarat, Northwood, London | |
| 2007 | Esha Gupta | Delhi | |
| 2006 | Sonali Sehgal | West Bengal | Semifinalist |
| 2005 | Vaishali Desai | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 2004 | Mihika Verma | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 2003 | Shonali Nagrani | New Delhi | 1st Runner-up |
| 2002 | Gauhar Khan | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 2001 | Kanwal Toor | New Delhi | Semifinalist |
| 2000 | Gayatri Joshi | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 1999 | Srikrupa Murali | Karnataka | Unplaced |
| 1998 | Shwetha Jaishanker | Tamil Nadu | 2nd Runner-up |
| 1997 | Diya Abraham | Kerala | 1st Runner-up |
| 1996 | Fleur Xavier | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1995 | Priya Gill | Maharashtra | |
| 1994 | Fransesca Hart | Maharashtra | |
| 1993 | Pooja Batra | Punjab | Semifinalist |
| 1992 | Kamal Sandhu | New Delhi | Unplaced |
| 1991 | Preeti Mankotia | Karnataka | Semifinalist |
| 1988 | Shikha Swaroop | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1987 | Erika Maria de Souza | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 1986 | Poonam Pahlet Gidwant | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1985 | Vinita Seshadri Vasan | Bangalore | |
| 1984 | Nalanda Ravindra Bhandar | West Bengal | Semifinalist |
| 1983 | Sahila Chadha | Punjab | Unplaced |
| 1982 | Betty O'Connor | Maharashta | |
| 1981 | Meenakshi Seshadri | Tamil Nadu | |
| 1980 | Ulrika Karen Bredemeyer | Maharashtra | |
| 1979 | Nita Pinto | Maharashtra | |
| 1978 | Sabita Dhanrajgir | Punjab | |
| 1976 | Nafisa Ali | Maharashtra | 2nd Runner-up |
| 1975 | Indira Maria Bredemeyer | Maharashtra | 2nd Runner-up |
| 1974 | Leslie Jean Hartnett | New Delhi | Unplaced |
| 1972 | Indira Muthanna | Karnataka | |
| 1971 | Samita Mukherjee | West Bengal | |
| 1970 | Patricia D'Souza | New Delhi | Semifinalist |
| 1969 | Wendy Leslie Vaz | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1968 | Sumita Sen | West Bengal | Semifinalist |
| 1962 | Sheila Chonkar | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1961 | Diana Valentine | New Delhi | |
| 1960 | Iona Pinto | Maharashtra | 1st Runner-up |
Representatives to Miss Supranational
| Year | Representative | State | Ranking | Special Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Vijaya Sharma | Delhi | Top 20 | Top 18 in Miss Internet |
Representatives to Miss United Continent
| Year | Representative | State | Ranking | Special Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Purva Rana | Himachal Pradesh | Vice Queen | 3rd in Best National Costume |
Representatives to Miss Asia Pacific World
- In 2012 India won Miss Asia Pacific World by Himangini Singh Yadu, but she was sent by I Am She organization not Femina Miss India.
| Year | Representative | State | Ranking | Special Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Shristi Rana | Haryana | Miss Asia Pacific World 2013 | Winner Best National Costume, Miss Personality |
Representatives to Miss Heritage World
| Year | Representative | State | Ranking | Special Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Swati Kain | Delhi | 1st Runner-Up |
Representatives to Bride Of The World
| Year | Representative | State | Ranking | Special Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Anukriti Gusain | Uttarakhand |
Representatives to Miss Asia Pacific International
| Year | Representative | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Simran Chandok | Unplaced, Best dancer |
| 2003 | Shonal Rawat | 1st Runner-up, Miss friendship, Miss talent, Miss Congeniality |
| 2002 | Tina Chatwal | 2nd Runner-up, Miss internet |
| 2001 | Maheshwari Thiagaranjan | Unplaced |
| 2000 | Dia Mirza | Miss Asia Pacific 2000, Miss close up smile, Miss avon |
| 1999 | Shivangi Parikkh | Unplaced |
| 1998 | Vikkitha Aggarwal | |
| 1997 | Divya Chauhan | 1st Runner-up, Best in Evening gown |
| 1996 | Mini Menon | Top 10 semifinalist |
| 1995 | Ruchi Malhotra | 1st Runner-up, Best in Evening gown |
| 1994 | Shweta Menon | Top 10 semifinalist |
| 1993 | Namrata Shirodkar | 1st Runner-up, Best in Evening gown |
| 1992 | Mehroo Jal Mistry | Unplaced |
| 1989 | Anuradha Ramani | Unplaced |
| 1988 | Viola Antony | Unplaced |
| 1987 | Jasleem Kaur | Unplaced |
| 1986 | Ana Vasan | Unplaced |
| 1985 | Seema Malhotra | Semifinalist |
| 1983 | Monica Lakhmana | Unplaced |
| 1982 | Aparna Sharma | Unplaced |
| 1981 | Mehjabeen Ayub Khan | Unplaced, Miss Talent |
| 1980 | Upneet Pannu | Unplaced |
| 1979 | Maureen Mary Lestourgeon | 1st Runner-up |
| 1978 | Preeti Koppikar | Unplaced, Best national costume, Miss Talent |
| 1977 | Marianne De Souza | 1st Runner-up |
| 1976 | Anna Adriane Bredemeyer | 2nd Runner-up |
| 1975 | Seema Marwaha | Unplaced |
| 1974 | Marilyn Theresa Ferreira | |
| 1973 | Tara Anne Fonseca | Miss Asia Pacific 1973 |
| 1972 | Samita Mukherjee | Unplaced |
| 1971 | Urmila Sanandan | |
| 1970 | Zeenat Aman | Miss Asia Pacific 1970, Miss Photogenic |
| 1969 | Tasneem Fakir Mohammed | Unplaced |
| 1968 | Anabella Crawford | Unplaced, Miss Talent |
Representatives to Miss Universe
India did not compete in the Miss Universe pageant from 1953–1963. I AM She – Miss Universe India sent its delegates to Miss Universe from 2010 to 2012. A separate pageant Miss Indian Diva 2013 is held to send delegates from 2013 onward.
| Year | Representative | State | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Manasi Moghe | Maharashtra | Top 10 finalist |
| 2012 | Shilpa Singh | Bihar | Top 16 finalist |
| 2011 | Vasuki Sunkavalli | Andhra Pradesh | Unplaced |
| 2010 | Ushoshi Sengupta | West Bengal | |
| 2009 | Ekta Chowdhary | Haryana | |
| 2008 | Simran Kaur Mundi | Punjab | |
| 2007 | Puja Gupta | Delhi | Top 10 finalist |
| 2006 | Neha Kapur | Delhi | Top 20 finalist |
| 2005 | Amrita Thapar | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 2004 | Tanushree Dutta | Jharkhand | Top 10 finalist |
| 2003 | Nikita Anand | Delhi | Unplaced |
| 2002 | Neha Dhupia | Delhi | Top 10 finalist |
| 2001 | Celina Jaitley | West Bengal | 4th Runner-up |
| 2000 | Lara Dutta | Delhi | Miss Universe 2000,Best In Swimsuit |
| 1999 | Gul Panag | Punjab | Top 10 finalist |
| 1998 | Lymaraina D'Souza | Maharashtra | Top 10 finalist |
| 1997 | Nafisa Joseph | Karnataka | Top 10 finalist |
| 1996 | Sandhya Chib | Karnataka | Top 10 finalist |
| 1995 | Manpreet Brar | Delhi | 1st Runner-up |
| 1994 | Sushmita Sen | Delhi | Miss Universe 1994 |
| 1993 | Namrata Shirodkar | Maharashtra | Top 6 finalist |
| 1992 | Madhu Sapre | Maharashtra | 2nd Runner-up |
| 1991 | Christabelle Howie | Tamil Nadu | Unplaced |
| 1990 | Suzanne Sablok | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 1989 | Dolly Minhas. | Chandigarh | Unplaced |
| 1987 | Priyadarshini Pradhan | Maharashtra | |
| 1986 | Mehr Jessia | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1985 | Sonu Walia | New Delhi | |
| 1984 | Juhi Chawla | Punjab | Best National Costume Award |
| 1983 | Rekha Hande | Karnataka | Unplaced |
| 1982 | Pamela Chaudry Singh | New Delhi | |
| 1981 | Rachita Kumar | Maharashtra | |
| 1980 | Sangeeta Bijlani | Maharashtra | Best National Costume Award |
| 1979 | Swaroop Sampat | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1978 | Alamjeet Kaur Chauhan | Chandigarh | Best National Costume Award |
| 1977 | Bineeta Bose | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1976 | Naina Sudhir Balsavar | Uttar Pradesh | |
| 1975 | Meenakshi Kurpad | Mumbai | |
| 1974 | Shailini Bhavnath Dholakia | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 1973 | Farzana Habib | Maharashtra | Semifinalist |
| 1972 | Roopa Satyan | Semifinalist | |
| 1971 | Raj Gill | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1970 | Veena Sajnani | Maharashtra | |
| 1969 | Kavita Bhambhani | Maharashtra | |
| 1968 | Anjum Mumtaz Barg | Maharashtra | |
| 1967 | Nayyara Mirza | New Delhi | |
| 1966 | Yasmin Daji | Maharashtra | 3rd Runner-up |
| 1965 | Persis Khambatta | Maharashtra | Unplaced |
| 1964 | Meher Castelino Mistri | Maharashtra | |
| 1952 | Indrani Rehman | Tamil Nadu | Debut |
- ^ First won by Lakshmi Pandit (abdicated)
- ^ First Won By Harshita Saxena (dethroned)
- ^ First won by Sayali Bhagat, who later became Miss India World
By number of wins
| S. No. | Pageant | Titles | Winning years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miss Universe | 1994, 2000 | |
| 2 | Miss World | 1966, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000 | |
| 3 | Miss Earth | 2010 | |
| 4 | Miss International | None | |
| 5 | Miss Supranational | None | |
| 6 | Miss United Continent | None | |
| 7 | Miss Asia Pacific World | 2012, 2013 | |
| 8 | Miss Heritage World | None | |
| 9 | Bride Of The World | None | |
| 10 | Miss Asia Pacific International | 1970, 1973, 2000 | |
| Winner | Finalist | Semifinalist |
Photographs of international titleholders:
-
Sushmita Sen, Miss Universe 1994 -
Lara Dutta, Miss Universe 2000 -
Aishwarya Rai, Miss World 1994 -
Diana Hayden, Miss World 1997 -
Yukta Mookhey, Miss World 1999
-
Priyanka Chopra, Miss World 2000
-
Nicole Faria, Miss Earth 2010
-
Zeenat Aman, Miss Asia Pacific 1970 -
Dia Mirza, Miss Asia Pacific 2000
See also
References
- ^ Devi, Kanchana (28 March 2012). "Miss India 2012: Who will win this time?". Truth Dive. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
- ^ "50 YEARS OF MISS INDIA: HIGHS AND LOWS!". Times of India. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2013.
- ^ "The Hindu News Update Service". The Hindu. 9 April 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
- ^ News, Press Trust of India (9 April 2007). "No runners-up in Miss India contest; all 3 winners are equal". Daily News and Analysis and Press Trust of India. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help); Check|first=value (help) - ^ "Miss India Earth to fight for crown in court – Movies News". ibnlive. 3 February 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
- ^ "30 contestants gear up for Miss Universe". Hindustan Times. 30 April 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
- ^ "Returns Crown".
- ^ "Pandit returns Miss India-World crown". Rediff.com. 31 March 2004.
