“When you cease to dream you cease to live,” quoted Miss World 2017 and added: “Courage to give flight to your dreams and the ability to believe in yourself makes life worth living.” , Manushi Chhillar made the country proud by winning the prestigious title Miss World 2017 in China, 17 years after Priyanka Chopra won the title in 2000. Here is all what you need to know about her.
Manushi Chhillar is the sixth Indian woman to win Miss World. She is 20-years old and is from Haryana. Haryana which is infamous for the worst sex ratio among states in the country, has seen young women from sports to science to beauty fields making it big at the international level in recent years.Manushi is pursuing 2nd year MBBS at Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women in Sonepat, Haryana. She aspires to be a cardiac surgeon.Her father Dr Mitra Basu Chhillar is a scientist at DRDO, and mother, Dr Neelam Chhillar is the head of the department of Neuro-chemistry at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences. Manushi also has a brother and sister.She won the ‘Miss Campus Princess’ title in the medical college in December last year. She went on to win the ‘Miss Haryana’ title in April this year followed by the coveted Femina Miss India title in June this year. After winning the Miss India title, Manushi took a break from her medical studies for one year to pursue her love for beauty pageants. After fulfilling her commitments to the present titles that she is holding, Manushi plans to get back to her studies and complete her MBBS degree.Manushi is the co-winner of Beauty with a Purpose competition. Her initiative was called Project Shakti. The campaign’s goal is to spread awareness about menstrual hygiene. She visited about 20 villages for the project and she visited about 20 villages, interacted and educated around 5000 women about menstrual hygiene. She joined hands with a manufacturer of sanitary pads called Paree and collaborated with Walmart to supply sanitary pads in rural India. For its supply for the Walmart to the homes, they encouraged women from the villages to become entrepreneurs. This is a two pronged approach which ensures supply as well as provides women with employment.
Manushi is a trained Kuchipudi dancer, and has trained under legendary dancers Raja and Radha Reddy.Manushi has also been a part of National School of Drama, and enjoys swimming in her free time. Chhillar has a keen interest in poetry, and likes painting too. She is equally passionate about outdoor sports such as paragliding, bungee jumping, snorkelling and scuba diving.Apart from being exceptionally talented, Manushi also has a flair for the English language, and was the All-India CBSE topper in English, in Class 12.According to the official website of Miss World, Manushi Chhillar’s advice to youngsters is: “Believe in yourself and never shy away from hard work. It does not matter what others think, ‘beauty’ is just perception. Get up every morning, tell yourself you are beautiful and gear up to win!”
