Ahead of Miss Universe 2025, a look at the Indian contestants who’ve brought home the crown

Miss Universe 2025 will be held on November 21 in Thailand. Photo Courtesy: File pic

As the world gears up for Miss Universe 2025, all eyes are on Manika Vishwakarma, India's representative set to compete for one of the world's most coveted beauty titles.

India's Miss Universe story spans three decades and mirrors the country's evolving cultural imagination. Each win arrived at a transformative moment, symbolising a shifting India - bold, outspoken, and ready to take up space on the global stage.

Sushmita Sen
India's relationship with the Miss Universe crown began in 1994 with Sushmita Sen, she made history as the first Indian woman to win the pageant. Just 18 at the time, Sen's victory was nothing short of groundbreaking, especially at a time when global pageantry was still dominated by Western standards of beauty. Even today she remains a cultural icon who shaped perceptions of pageantry in India, inspiring thousands of young women.

Lara Dutta
Lara Dutta brought India its second Miss Universe title in 2000, six years after Sushmita Sen's victory. Crowned in Nicosia, Cyprus, Dutta delivered one of the most memorable final answers in Miss Universe history, scoring an astonishing 9.99 out of 10 in the interview round - a score unmatched till date.

Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu
After a 21-year wait, India clinched the Miss Universe crown again in 2021 with Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu. The victory felt like a cultural moment and a reminder of India's presence on the world stage and the unbroken spirit of its pageant ecosystem.

Manika Vishwakarma
As India steps into this edition of the beauty pageant, Manika Vishwakarma, Miss Universe India 2025, carries the weight of history and hope. Born in 2003 and raised in Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar district, Manika represents a generation shaped digital culture, and self-awareness. Miss Universe 2025 is set to take place on November 21, in Thailand.