Winners through the years

Miss India World 2011: Mumbai based model Kanistha Dhankar bagged multiple titles during the pageant. She represented India at the Miss World 2011 pageant where she was placed in top 30. She took the international leap by walking at the New York Fashion Week recently.

Miss India International 2011: Model-turned actor Ankita Shorey is also a reputed name in the fashion industry. During the pageant, she won subtitles like Femina Miss Beautiful Lips. She represented India at Miss International, 2011.

Miss India 1987: Priyadarshini Pradhan won the best national costume award at the Miss Universe pageant. She achieved great heights as a ramp model and even had the honour of serving as a UN Peace Ambassador for a year.

Miss India Earth 2009:
Shriya has done her hotel management. She was a semifinalist in the Miss Earth 2009 pageant.

Miss World 2008, Ist runner up:
Miss India World 2008:
Parvathy Omanakuttan Nair from god's own country, Kerala, became the first runner-up in the Miss World 2008 pageant. Parvathy aspires to be an actress.

Miss India World 2010 : Delhiite Manasvi Mamgai is a reputed name in the fashion industry today. She has showcased almost all the topnotch designers' creations in the country. Manasvi represented India at the Miss World 2010 pageant held in Sanya, China.

Miss World 2000,
Miss India World 2000:
Bareilly girl Priyanka Chopra beat other 94 lovely ladies to claim the Miss World 2000 title. She is one of the top league actresses in Bollywood with hits like Don, Fashion, Dostana and Kaminey. She won her first National Award for her performance in movie 'Fashion'.

Miss India Universe 2009:
Ekta Chowdhary represented India at the Miss Universe 2009. She is the grand daughter of Delhi's first CM Chaudhary Brahm Prakash Yadav.

Miss India Universe 2008:
Simran Kaur Mundi was a PR and marketing maverick, she worked for a cinema chain. She participated in the Miss Universe 2008 held in US. She made her Bollywood debut with 'Jo Hum Chahein' opposite Sunny Gill in 2011.

Miss Earth 2010,
Miss India Earth 2010:
The first ever Indian woman to win Miss Earth title is Nicole Faria. She also won the Talent round during the pageant. Nicole is a model from Bangalore. She has featured in a lot of fashion magazine and has walked the ramp for many known designers.

Miss World 1994,
Miss India World 1994: Light-eyed beauty Aishwarya Rai made the country proud by winning the Miss World title and became the second Indian to be crowned Miss World in 28 years. Aishwarya entered films and stormed the silver screen. Fondly called Ash in the film circuit, she is married to actor Abhishek Bachchan.(Getty Images)

Miss India Earth 2011: Delhi girl Hasleen Kaur represented India at the Miss Earth 2011 beauty pageant in Manila, Philippines. She graced many fashion events, walked the ramp for reputed designers, featured on the Elite Fashion Calendar 2011, and even did a cameo in Imtiaz Ali's movie 'Love Aaj Kal'.

Miss India Earth 2008:
Tanvi Vyas won the Femina Miss India Earth 2008 and participated in Miss Earth 2008.

Miss India 1985: Sonu Walia, a psychology graduate took up modelling before she entered the Miss India contest. After winning the title in 1985, she embarked on a career in film acting with the titles like Khoon Bhari Maang, Shart and Toofan.

Miss India International 2009:
Harshita Saxena quit her studies in Canada to pursue Miss India dream, represented India in Miss International 2009.

Miss Universe 1994,
Miss India Universe 1994: Euphoria gripped India on May 21, 1994, when, for the first time ever, an Indian girl was crowned Miss Universe. That's Sushmita Sen, Miss Universe 1994 who is now a successful actress and an entrepreneur.

Miss India International 2010:
Neha Hinge won the Miss India Online 2010 poll and got a direct entry into the top 10 of Miss India 2010. Neha represented India at Miss International pageant held in China and made it to Top 5 finalists. She made her Bollywood debut with movie 'Luv U Soniyo'.

Miss India 1986:
Perhaps one of the most popular models in India, Mehr Jesia today manages a successful model management agency in partnership with Vijay Mallaya. She's happily married to actor, Arjun Rampal with whom she has formed a film production company.

Miss Universe 2000:
Miss India Universe 2000: The ravishing Lara Dutta describes her winning the Miss Universe title as being "a culmination of a dream." Lara is now a renowned actress in Bollywood. The beauty is married to tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi.

Miss Asia Pacific 2000,
Miss India Asia Pacific 2000:
Beauty from Hyderabad, Dia Mirza won the prestigious Miss Asia-Pacific title in 2000.She one of the well-known actors in Bollywood.

Beauty With A Purpose (Miss World title 2009),
Miss India World 2009:
Pooja Chopra also won Miss Beautiful Smile and Miss Beautiful Body title at the Miss India 2009 pageant. She represented India at the Miss World 2009 pageant and won the Beauty with a cause title. Pooja did a cameo in Madhur Bhandarkar's film 'Fashion'.(Getty Images)

3rd runner-up, Miss Universe,
Miss India 1966: Yasmin Daji, a medical student from Delhi, not only won the Miss India crown but also went to be the runner-up at the Miss Universe contest later that year.

Miss India 1970: After winning Miss India title, Veena Sajnani continued modelling. She also took up acting and featured in few television serials and tried her hands on fashion designing too. She eventually found her true love in theatre and continues to be involved with it.

Miss India 1980:
Sangeeta Bijlani, a name to deem with on the ramp, she tried her hand in Hindi films before she married the famous cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin. Nowadays, she's regular face in page 3 parties.

Miss India 1981: Winning the Miss India title came as a pleasant surprise to Rachita Kumar. Today, people know her by the name Nandini Thackersey.

Miss India 1988:
For Chandigarh beauty Dolly Minhas winning the contest was a matter of chance. Soon after winning the contest, she opted for a career in acting. She fell in love with the director of her first film, Anil Matoo, whom she eventually married.

Miss India 1978: Alamjeet Chauhan won the best national costume award at the Miss Universe contest. Presently, she is a practising lawyer in Supreme Court.

Miss India 1983: After winning the title, Rekha Hande persued modeling and do theatre. She has also acted in Kannada and Hindi serials.

Miss India 1967: Nayyara Mirza confronted all oppositions and took a bold step by participating in Femina's Beauty Contest. Today, she is known by the name of Nalini Patel.

Miss India Earth 2007: New Zealand-based beauty Pooja Chitgopekar won the Miss Earth Air while representing India at the Miss Earth 2007. The beauty is today a qualified doctor, practicing in Auckland.

Miss India Universe 2007:
Puja Gupta made it to the top 10 of Miss Universe pageant.

Miss India 1971: Raj Gill lives by her motto Per Ardua Ad Astra which means "by steep and toilsome ways to the stars". At present, she is living in London, and is the director of a multinational company.

Miss India International 2008:
NRI Gujrati beauty Radha Brahmbhatt is from Northwood, London. She represented India in Miss International 2008.

Miss Asia Pacific 1970,
Miss India Asia Pacific 1970:
Zeenat Aman made India proud by bringing in the crown of Miss Asia Pacific International. Yesteryear's glamorous actress Zeenat Aman is still remembered for her 'bold & the beautiful' onscreen image.

Miss India 1974: Shailini Dholakia, a semi-finalist in Miss Universe pageant refused to work in movies and decided to travel the world. She is well settled in California and is the director of 4 companies of the Comfort Star Group.

Miss India 1968:
Anjum Mumtaz Barg came from the conservative city of Hyderabad, and entered the competition for fun. Anjum made history by winning the title.

Miss India 1964:
After the pageant, Meher Mistry took up writing for reputed magazines. She has authored two books. Today, she has achieved international recognition as a fashion critic and has been honored with the 'Hall of Fame Fashion Writer Award' by Kingfisher.

Miss India Universe 1989/90: Suzanne Sablok created ripples at the Miss Universe contest by coming eighth. After the pageant, she was a leading model. At the peak of her career she quit modelling to marry the man she loved, Rajesh Pillai and shifted to Australia.

Miss India 1979: Swaroop Sampat starred in popular television serials like 'Yeh Joh Hai Jindagi' , and launched her career as an actress. She was last seen in Bollywood film 'Saathiya' in 2002. She is happy married to Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal.

Miss India 1965: Persis Khambatta starred in the highly popular series Star Trek, for which she is remembered even today. She was the brain behind Pride of India, a comprehensive compilation of all Miss India winners 1947 to 1997. Persis passed away in 1998.

Miss India 1969: Unlike others who went on to become successful models or actresses, Kavita Bhambani became a successful interior designer. She championed the cause of Indian art and architecture.

Miss India 1984: Juhi Chawla is probably among the finest model-turned-actresses that we have today. The dimpled beauty was crowned as the winner of the Miss India beauty contest in 1984.

Miss India 1975:
Meenakshi Kurpad maintained a low profile after she won the crown and, hence, little is known about her.

Miss India 1972:
Roopa Satyan won the Femina Miss India 1972 title after completing her graduation. Today, she is a yoga instructor besides running a highly successful boutique.

Miss India 1973: The exuberance of Farzana Habib knew no bounds when she said, "That evening changed my life: I was crowned Miss Delhi; became Miss India in Bombay and fled to Greece...". From Greece, she went to the US, where she learnt the art of sculpting. She met a brilliant lawyer, Andrew Levy, whom she finally married.

Miss India 1982: Our Miss India 1982, Pamela Singh is a serious photojournalist and keeps as very low profile as someone with her looks can. Pamela resides in Goa today.

Miss India 1976:
Naina Balsaver, the only Miss India who withdrew from the Miss World pageant due to India's protest against apartheid. Naina has been devoting her energies towards jewelry designing.

Miss India World 2007: Sarah Jane Dias was a famous VJ before she won Femina Miss India and was in the top 20 in the Miss World 2007. The beauty now aspires for a career in B-town.

Miss World 1966:
Miss India World 1966 : Reita Faria, a young medical student from Mumbai created history in 1966 by becoming the first Indian to be crowned Miss World. After enjoying a year of fame, she quit modeling and decided to concentrate more on her medical studies and eventually became a doctor. Reita was invited to participate in the 25th and 50th anniversary of the Miss World contest.

Miss India 1977:
Nalini Vishwanathan created history by refusing to participate in the Miss Universe pageant in conformity to her father's stand as he would not allow his daughter to walk down the ramp in a swimsuit.

Miss World 2000,
Miss India World 2000:
Bareilly girl Priyanka Chopra beat other 94 lovely ladies to claim the Miss World 2000 title. She is one of the top league actresses in Bollywood with hits like Don, Fashion, Dostana and Kaminey. She won her first National Award for her performance in movie 'Fashion'.

Miss India World 2004:
Doe-eyed Sayali won the Femina Miss India World and represented India at the contest.She is one of the well-known actors in Bollywood.

The damsels who dazzled us with their beauty transcending paradise. Here's taking a look at the winners of Miss India over the past 50 years:

Miss India World 2012: Beauty from Chandigarh, Vanya Mishra won the prestigious Miss India title in 2012. She is currently doing her undergraduate programme in Electrical Engineering.

Miss India World 2003:

Ami Vashi won the prestigious Femina Miss India World 2003 and represented India in the Miss World competition in 2003 as she was 3rd runner up. She became the fourth runner up. She is a graduate from the University of Southern California.

Miss India World 2006:
Natasha Suri has won eight beauty pageants, before participating in the Miss India pageant. She represented India in Miss World and was in the top 10. She is now a well-known model and was awarded the "Pillar of Hindustani Society" award in 2008 for her achievements in the fashion industry.

Miss India World 2005:

Legy lass Sindhura Gadde won the Miss India 2005 and was in the Top 10 contenders during the Miss World 2005 pageant. She has starred in few regional and bollywood films too.