India’s Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu on Monday was crowned Miss Universe 2021. The first runner up was Miss Paraguay and the second runner up was Miss South Africa. The competition took place at Eilat, Israel.

The 21-year-old hails from Chandigarh. She attended Shivalik Public School and Post Graduate Government College for Girls, both of which are in Chandigarh, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in public administration. She participated in Times Fresh Face Miss Chandigarh contest in 2017 and won the title. She also won the title of Miss Max Emerging Star 2018 India. 

Sandhu went on to win the Femina Miss India Punjab 2019 title and represented Punjab at Femina Miss India 2019. She is 5′ 9″ tall (176 cm).

Also Read: Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu on facing body shaming, bullying as a child

Harnaaz sees former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen and Lara Dutta as inspirations.

“Their aura and dedication reflect in the work they have doing. I also see Adlene Casteleno as my inspiration as she has brought glory back to India after so many years and I am headstrong to carry forward that legacy,” she said in an interview with Opoyi.

She also describes herself as a quick learner, versatile, compassionate, and confident, who carries her passion with a headstrong attitude towards achieving her goals. She holds a strong affinity towards acting, dancing, swimming, and horse riding.

Harnaaz credits her mother for always supporting always.

“I have always been close to my Mom and she is my guiding star. I have overcome the battle of these hurdles through her help. She is a doctor and understands me very well. Also, an inner calling is something that changes the whole game and my inner calling made me realised my purpose which helped me a lot to recover and stand confidently in front of you today,” she told Opoyi.