Miss Diva
National beauty pageant competition in India
- Miss Supranational
Miss Universe
(2013-2023)
Official language
Parent organization
The Miss Diva is a part of Femina Miss India pageant that primarily selected India's representatives to Miss Universe, one of the Big Four major international beauty pageants.[1][2] The pageant also sends representative to Miss Supranational.[3]
The reigning Miss Universe India is Shweta Sharda who was crowned by the outgoing titleholder Divita Rai. Sharda will represent India at Miss Universe 2023.
The reigning Miss Diva Supranational is Sonal Kukreja, who was crowned by Pragnya Ayyagari, Miss Supranational Asia 2023. Kukreja will represent India at Miss Supranational 2024.
History
| Number of wins under Miss Diva | |
|---|---|
| Pageant | Wins |
| Miss Universe | 1 |
| Miss Supranational | 2 |
| Miss Asia Pacific World | 1 |
| Miss Earth | 0 |
| Miss International | 0 |
After the Miss Universe Organization returned the franchise to Bennett, Coleman and Co., a separate Miss Diva pageant was held to send representatives from India to Miss Universe. In earlier days, Femina Miss India used to send its winner to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. But in 2010, Tantra Entertainment Private Limited, in collaboration with former Miss Universe and popular Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen, held a separate pageant, I Am She-Miss Universe India, to send representatives from India to Miss Universe.
After 2012, Sushmita Sen and Tantra Entertainment announced that they would relinquish the Miss Universe license and therefore Miss Diva 2013 was organized by the Femina Miss India Organization.[4][5]
The first Miss Diva pageant was held on 5 September 2013 in Mumbai. Fourteen candidates were shortlisted from all across the country to compete at the main event. Manasi Moghe from Mumbai was crowned the first ever "Miss Diva Universe 2013" by Miss Asia Pacific 1970 and Bollywood actress Zeenat Aman, while Gurleen Grewal from Punjab was crowned "Miss Diva International 2013" by Miss Universe Canada 2012, Sahar Biniaz[6] and Srishti Rana from Faridabad was crowned "Miss Diva Asia Pacific World 2013" by Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon.[7][8]
In 2019, Liva Fluid Fashion obtained the sponsorship rights for the Miss Diva pageant and the first edition under their support was scheduled be held in 2020. Since there was no pageant in 2019, Indian representatives for international pageants were appointed by the Miss India Organization. Preceding Miss Diva delegates, Vartika Singh and Shefali Sood were selected to compete in Miss Universe 2019 and Miss Supranational 2019 respectively.[9][10]
Miss Diva organization withdrew the license to the Miss Universe organization in 2024 because they felt the Miss Universe organization had changed and needed to address internal issues. The Miss Diva organization has stated they will return to the Miss Universe once the issues has been resolved.
International pageants
| Current Franchises | |
|---|---|
| Membership | Year |
| Miss Supranational | 2013 – Present |
| Former Franchises | |
| Membership | Year |
| Miss Universe | 2013 – 2023 |
| Miss Earth | 2014 |
| Miss International | 2013 |
| Miss Asia Pacific World | 2013 |
In 2013, Srishti Rana won Miss Asia Pacific World 2013 and became the second Indian to win the title. She was crowned by the outgoing titleholder Himangini Singh Yadu from India as well.[11][12] This gave India a back-to-back victory in the pageant. Rana is the first ever Miss Diva winner to win any international title.[13] In 2014, India again won the pageant, making it the only country to win any international pageant three years in a row.[14] (Many other countries such as South Africa have won consecutive pageant awards).
In 2014, Asha Bhat competed at the sixth edition of Miss Supranational and won the pageant.[15] Asha is the first Indian and second Asian to win the said pageant.[16] In 2016, Srinidhi Ramesh Shetty was sent to Miss Supranational in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland and she won the title of Miss Supranational 2016.[17] India is the first country to win Miss Supranational twice and both delegates were sent by Miss Diva.[18]
In 2021, Adline Quadros Castelino, Miss Diva Universe 2020 represented India at Miss Universe 2020, held in Hollywood, Florida, United States.[19] There, she placed as the 3rd runner-up, thus achieving India's highest placement in Miss Universe since Lara Dutta, who won the title in the year 2000. She also achieved India's 3rd runner-up position in Miss Universe after 55 years.[20]
In December 2021, Harnaaz Sandhu, Miss Diva Universe 2021 represented India at Miss Universe 2021, held in Eilat, Israel. She won the competition becoming India's 3rd Miss Universe.
Representatives at international pageants
Miss SupranationalThe Times Group acquired the rights to send India's representatives to Miss Supranational in 2013.[21] From the year 2016 to 2020, the first runner-up of Miss Diva is announced as Miss Supranational India.[22][23]
Previous franchisesBelow are the names of delegates and the international pageants whose franchise was previously owned by the Times Group. Femina Miss India/Miss Diva no longer selects India's representatives for the below listed pageants. Miss UniverseMiss Diva was introduced by Femina Miss India to select delegates to represent India at Miss Universe. The pageant is organized by the Bennett Coleman and Company Ltd. annually and the first edition of Miss Diva was held in 2013.[24]
Miss InternationalFrom 1991, The Times Group had the franchise for selecting India's representatives to Miss International. In 2013, Miss Diva runner-up was sent as India's delegate.[25][26]
Miss EarthSince the first edition of Miss Earth in 2001, to the year 2013, The Times Group selected India's representatives to the pageant. A runner-up of Miss Diva was sent to Miss Earth in the year 2014.[27]
Miss Asia Pacific WorldThe Times Group selected representatives for this pageant in 2013 and 2014. Miss Diva 2013 runner-up, Srishti Rana won the title of Miss Asia Pacific World 2013.[28]
Titleholders
Gallery of winnersMiss Diva Universe
Miss Diva Supranational
Miss Diva editions
See alsoReferences
External links
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