Manushi Chhillar Wins Miss World 2017, Brings Glory Back to India
Manushi Chhillar, a 20-year-old medical student, brought immense pride to India by winning the Miss World 2017 title. She ended a 17-year wait since Priyanka Chopra’s win in 2000. Manushi emerged victorious among 108 contestants from across the globe at the Sanya City Arena in China.
Miss World 2016, Stephanie Del Valle from Puerto Rico, crowned Manushi, passing on the prestigious title. Interestingly, Manushi isn’t the first Indian to win this global honor, but her victory ended a long dry spell. Earlier in the evening, she had already impressed the judges by winning both the Head to Head Challenge and Beauty with a Purpose titles.
She is the 67th Miss World and shares a unique connection with India’s first winner, Reita Faria — both are medical students by profession.
Indian Winners Who Made History at Miss World Competation
| YEAR | MISS WORLD NAME | TITLE HIGHLIGHTS | ||||
| 1966 | Reita Faria | First Indian & Asian Miss World, pursued medicine | ||||
| 1944 | Aishwarya Rai Bachchan |
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| 1977 |
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| 1999 | Yukta Mookhey |
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| 2000 | Priyanka Chopra |
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| 2017 | Manushi Chhillar |
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1. Reita Faria (1966) : The First Indian and Asian Miss World Who Chose Medicine Over Glamour
Reita Faria made history in 1966 by becoming the first Asian woman to win the Miss World crown. Born in Mumbai to Goan parents, she pursued medicine at Grant Medical College and later studied in London. Unlike many beauty queens, she chose not to enter modeling or acting. Instead, she focused on her medical career and later moved to Dublin with her husband, Dr. David Powell, where she began practicing medicine.
2. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (1994): From Miss World to Bollywood’s Global Icon
Aishwarya Rai won the crown in 1994 and is often regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the world. Over the years, she became a global icon and a celebrated Bollywood actress. Her elegance and achievements make her one of the most memorable Miss World titleholders ever.
3. Diana Hayden (1997): Beauty Queen, Author, and a Trailblazer in Fertility Awareness
Diana Hayden was crowned Miss World in 1997. After her reign, she studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in the UK. She also authored A Beautiful Truth, a guide on grooming and personality development. Recently, she made headlines for expecting twins through eggs she had frozen three years prior.
4.Yukta Mookhey (1999): Crowned Queen Who Chose a Path in Public Service
Yukta Mookhey brought the crown home in 1999. She won the pageant on December 4 in London. In 2004, she entered politics by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), continuing her journey of public service.
5. Priyanka Chopra (2000): From Miss World to International Superstar
Priyanka Chopra followed closely after Yukta, winning the Miss World title in 2000. Her victory marked a historic moment — two Indian women winning back-to-back titles. Today, Priyanka is an international celebrity known for her acting, singing, and philanthropic work. She gained worldwide fame through her role in Quantico and continues to represent India on the global stage.
Manushi Chhillar Wins Miss World 2017, Brings Glory Back to India
Manushi Chhillar, a 20-year-old medical student from Haryana, India, etched her name in history by winning the Miss World 2017 title, ending India’s 17-year-long wait since Priyanka Chopra’s win in 2000. The glittering finale took place at the Sanya City Arena in China, where Manushi emerged as the winner among 108 contestants from all over the world, reinstating India’s position as a powerhouse in international beauty pageants. Crowned by Miss World 2016 Stephanie Del Valle of Puerto Rico, Manushi’s win was not just a moment of personal triumph but a source of immense national pride. She also bagged the coveted ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ award — a title awarded to the contestant with the most impactful humanitarian project. In addition, her eloquence during the Head-to-Head Challenge and the Q&A round cemented her as a frontrunner.
A Historic Win Rooted in Purpose and Poise
Manushi’s final answer in the Q&A round drew thunderous applause and resonated with the judges and audience alike. When asked which profession deserved the highest salary in the world, her response was:
“A mother deserves the highest respect and salary, not in terms of money but in terms of love and respect. I think it’s the biggest profession with no pay but infinite love, care, and sacrifice.”
Her thoughtful answer showcased her intelligence, empathy, and strong values — key traits that ultimately earned her the crown.
What set Manushi apart was not just her grace and beauty but her passionate commitment to social work. Her project for the Beauty with a Purpose segment focused on menstrual hygiene — an often-taboo subject in India. She launched Project Shakti, aimed at spreading awareness about menstrual health and distributing low-cost sanitary pads to rural women. Her advocacy earned her global admiration and set a new benchmark for how beauty queens can bring about real-world change.
The Journey from Medical Student to Miss World
Before entering the limelight, Manushi was pursuing an MBBS degree at Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women in Sonipat, Haryana. Raised in a family of professionals — her father is a scientist with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and her mother is a departmental head in an institute of human behavior — Manushi’s academic and moral foundation was always strong. She wasn’t initially focused on beauty pageants, but her interest in fashion, combined with her confidence and public speaking skills, led her to participate in Femina Miss India 2017, where she won the crown and qualified for Miss World. Her transformation from a focused medical student to a global icon happened almost overnight — but she handled the pressure with humility and determination.
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