“Come out, speak for yourselves because you are the leader of your life, you are the voice of your own," said India's Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu as she was asked what advice shewould give to young women on how to deal with the pressures they face.
The 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant that took place at Eilat, Israel has been won by India’s Harnaaz Sandhu. Harnaaz has brought the crown back home after 21 years. Before Harnaaz,only two Indian beauties have clinched the crown – Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000.
The actor-model who once aspired to become a judge has now become an empowering figure to millions and billions of young women who want to be independent and achieve their dreams that lookunattainable.
Harnaaz, who reached the finale with Miss Paraguay Nadia Ferreira and Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane, was asked what advice she would give to young women on how to deal with the pressuresthey face. Her well-composed and honest answer made her win the title of Miss Universe 2021.
“The biggest pressure the youth of today is facing is to believe in themselves, to know that you are unique and that's what makes you beautiful. Stop comparing yourselves withothers and let's talk about more important things that are happening worldwide,” said Harnaaz with a bright smile on her face.
“This is what you need to understand. Come out, speak for yourselves because you are the leader of your life, you are the voice of your own. I believed in myself and that's whyI am standing here today,” she elegantly added.
The journey to the platform where Harnaaz will be the role model of millions was anything but easy.
She started her journey in pageantry at the age of 17 and there was a time when she became a victim of depression. She shared that, in recent times, she was hospitalized due to ulcers inher stomach and at that time she came across the upcoming events LIVA Miss Diva 2021.
She felt that it is time to do something in her life and overcome her situation. Her family was a constant support. Her father used to call Harnaaz ‘Punjab Ki Sherni.’ They alwaysencouraged her, which helped her to overcome depression and resulted in winning the beauty pageant.
Harnaaz has previously been crowned Miss Diva 2021, Femina Miss India Punjab 2019 and was even placed in the Top 12 at Femina Miss India 2019.