She’s the third woman from India to win the Miss Universe crown but who is Harnaaz Sandhu? The beauty queen, 21, beat out 79 other contestants for the title in the global pageant that was held this year in the resort town of Eilat, Israel.
She rounded out the top five, which consisted of Miss Paraguay Nadia Ferreira, Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane, Miss Colombia Valeria Ayos and Miss Philippines Beatrice Gomez.
After winning, the newly crowned Miss Universe 2021 screamed the Punjabi phrase "Chak de fatte India" in victory.
Who is Harnaaz Sandhu?
Sandhu is from Chandigarh, India where she grew up and attended university. Before winning Miss Universe 2021, she was studying for her master’s degree in public administration. She is a model but has also starred in Punjabi films Yaara Diyan Poo Baran and Bai Ji Kuttange.
“It has been an incredible experience to be a part of the acting industry as I got to showcase my hidden talents. I love acting as I enjoy being on the screen and it has been a great learning experience as well,” she told The Indian Express.
Her journey into pageantry began when she won Times Fresh Face in 2017, representing Chandigarh at age 17. Since then, she’s gone on to win Miss Max Emerging Star India 2018, Femina Miss India Punjab 2019 and Miss Diva 2021, which led her to represent India at the Miss Universe pageant.
She has said she began to advocate body positivity after being bullied in her teenage years for being skinny.
"But this made me stronger, as I realised that I can’t give into the opinions of others," she told the website Healthshots. "The only person I need to impress should be myself. In an attempt to impress the world, we can sometimes lose sight of who we are. But if you believe in yourself, you can conquer anything in this world."
One of Sandhu's biggest inspirations is former Miss World and actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and, in her spare time, the newly crowned beauty queen enjoys yoga, dancing, cooking, horse riding and playing chess, according to the Miss Universe website.
As the winner, she will now move to New York City where she will spend a year working alongside the Miss Universe Organisation, working towards her goals and wider aims.
Her Miss Universe journey
Before winning the crown, Sandhu's journey began in the preliminaries, where she wore a stunning maroon cap-sleeved one-piece swimsuit during the swimwear portion of the competition.
During the national costume segment, she wore a gold embellished lehenga, and carried a traditional wedding parasol. The outfit paid homage to Indian women as protectors and was designed by Abhinav Mishra, with Reza Shariffi custom-creating the umbrella.
"My national costume is a royal visual representation of a woman that showcases the Indian queen, strong yet delicate. Its elements are symbolic towards the protection instinct of a woman. The key elements of the costume are mirrors and the umbrella. The representative element of the national costume is the colour pink," she wrote on Instagram.
She also added: "Thank you @abhinavmishra_ for such an intricate piece of art that is my national costume and today as I walked on that stage, I felt a sense of empowerment. I dedicate my performance to all those strong women out there who face battles every day with a smile. You're a warrior and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise."
After she advanced further in the competition, she was asked two questions: one in the Top 5 round and another in the Top 3. The first question was about the climate change crisis and how she could convince other people to also believe in it.
"Honestly, my heart breaks to see how nature is going through a lot of problems, and it’s all due to our irresponsible behaviour," she replied. "I totally feel like this is the time to take actions and talk less, because each action could either kill or save nature. Prevent and protect is better than repent and repair, and this is what I’m trying to convince you guys to do."
She was later asked for her advice to the young women watching her on how to deal with the pressures they face today.
"I think the biggest pressure the youth today is facing is to believe in themselves; to know that you are unique and that [is] what makes you beautiful. Stop comparing yourselves with others and let’s talk [about] more important things that [are] happening worldwide. I think this is what you need to understand. Come out and speak for yourself because you are the leader of your life, you are the voice of your own. I believed in myself, and that’s why I’m standing here today."
The 10 past winners of Miss Universe
2020 – Andrea Meza, Mexico
2019 – Zozibini Tunzi, South Africa
2018 – Catriona Gray, Philippines
2017 – Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, South Africa
2016 – Iris Mittenaere, France
2015 – Pia Wurtzbach, Philippines
2014 – Paulina Vega, Colombia
2013 – Gabriela Isler, Venezuela
2012 – Olivia Culpo, USA
2011 – Leila Lopes, Angola
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The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
Teams
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shanwari, Hasan Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Mark Chapman, Lockie Ferguson, Colin de Grandhomme, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.
Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
