INTERNATIONAL: India's Harnaaz Sandhu won the 70th Miss Universe crown, 21 years after Lara Dutta won the title in 2000. She was crowned at the pageant’s final night at Eilat, Israel on Sunday.

The 21-year-old model, tops a field of some 81 contestants in a pageant that was touched by politics and the pandemic, hosted by Steve Harvey.

The pageant has included traditional displays of national costumes, swimwear and a series of interview questions to test contestants’ public speaking skills. The top 10 have showed off intricately bedazzled full-length gowns in either gold, silver or bronze.

The Philippines’s Beatrice Luigi Gomez wore an asymmetrical cut dress with one sleeve, highlighting a new tattoo she said “celebrates her womanhood”.

Before Sandhu, two Indians have won the Miss Universe title: Bollywood actresses Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000.

Harnaaz Sandhu has received the crown from last year's winner, Andrea Meza, who took the stage, towards the end of the evening, to announce her successor. The other two top honours went to Miss Paraguay 2021 Nadia Ferreira, who was declared first runner-up, followed by Miss Universe South Africa 2021 Lalela Mswane, who was adjudged second runner-up.Miss Philippines Beatrice Luigi Gomez and Miss Colombia Valeria Maria Ayos Bossa made it to top 5.

The Miss Universe 2021 judging panel included a power-packed team of nine prominent and influential women, including Adriana Lima, model and actress; Urvashi Rautela, Miss Diva 2015 - Miss Universe and actress; Lori Harvey, model and social media personality; Iris Mittenaere, Miss Universe 2016; Marian Rivera, Philippines’model and award-winning actress; Adamari Lopez, actress and host; Rena Sofer, actress; Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019 and TV presenter; and Rina Mor-Goder, Miss Universe 1976. The extravaganza also featured exceptional performances by Singer Jojo, and Noa Kirel.

Miss Harnaaz Sandhu talks about female empowerment; "You know it takes a lot of courage to talk about something that you have been through and the ultimate motive of that movement was to uplift all the women who have been through such circumstances and we are here to embrace ourselves to empower all the women out there who are going through a lot of suffering or a lot of, you know, domestic violence, torture and anything that is happening within them. If we can do it then they can all do it, if I can be the voice of my life then they can also be the voice of their lives. So,through beauty passion we want to embrace each and every woman out there who is watching this, who aspires to be the leader of her life."

^{PHOTO: MISS INDIA HARNAAZ SANDHU CRIES AS SHE IS BEING ANNOUNCED MISS UNIVERSE, SANDHU BEING CROWNED, MISS UNIVERSE TALKING TO MEDIA DURING NEWS CONFERENCE}