India’s Manasa Varanasi to Somalia’s hijabi queen: Miss World 2021 contestants to watch out for

Toni-Ann Singh’s reign as the longest Miss World title holder will come to an end on Thursday when she crowns her successor in Puerto Rico. Singh, a Miss Jamaica who was crowned Miss World in 2019, has been camped in the US territory for the past few weeks along with this year’s contestants ahead of the finals in Coliseo de Puerto Rico.

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The competition, which will pick its 70th Miss World, will feature participants from 98 countries. Some of the participants who have already made noise are Khadija Omar, Somalia’s first hijabi candidate and India’s Manasa Varanasi especially after her Harnaaz Sandhu’s taking the Miss Universe 2021 crown.

Miss World, which began as a bikini contest, has drastically changed its format over the years. In 2014, it famously did away with the controversial swimsuit round, reports the NationalNews.

“I don’t need to see women just walking up and down in bikinis,” chairwoman Julia Morley, whose late husband Eric Morley started the competition in 1951, told Elle magazine.

“It doesn’t do anything for the woman. And it doesn’t do anything for any of us,” added Julia.

The Miss Universe pageant, however, still has a swimsuit segment in the competition, but is not enforced on contestants.

Here are some of the contestants who are touted as the top names.

Miss Somalia: Khadija Omar: She is a psychology student and make-up artist and said in one of her interviews that she wanted to be a representative for hijabi women worldwide by entering the Miss World peagant.

“I can’t believe I’m the first Miss World Somalia. Anyone who knows me, knows how long I’ve desired to compete in pageants and represent hijabi girls worldwide. To see that dream come true is not short of an honour,” she posted on Instagram in November.

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“I hope this inspires young hijabi girls and reminds them that they can dream as big as they aspire. I can’t wait to make history in Puerto Rico, show the world how beautiful Somalia is.”

Omar is the first hijabi contestant to represent Somalia at the Miss World contest, the Miss Somalia organisation said.

Miss India: Manasa Varanasi: She is a financial analyst and definitely going to be one of the hot favourites following Harnaaz Sandhu’s historic win at the Miss Universe 2021 pageant on Sunday. India has won Miss World and Miss Universe crowns in the same year twice before, in 1994 when Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sushmita Sen brought home the respective titles. And in 2000, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Lara Dutta winning the crowns.

Miss America: Shree Saini: She is the first Indian-American to win the Miss America title. She has had a permanent pacemaker since she was 12, after a major car accident which also left her with burns all over her face.

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“It’s not just my win, but our collective win: it’s a win for our inclusive and diverse America, for every race, for every culture, for everyone. It’s a win for endless kindness, resilience and perseverance in tough times,” Saini, 25, posted on Instagram after being crowned.

Her dream is to become the Secretary of Education in the US, says her biography on the Miss World website.