Beauty pageants often look a weird relic of a bygone age now the world is moving against judging women entirely on their appearance. However, some women still seem to be profiting from their looks very well indeed.
Indian medical student Manushi Chhillar has been crowned Miss World after a star-studded event in China yesterday, tying India with Venezuela as the joint-most successful nation in the pageant's 67-year history.
Credit: PA
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Chhillar's victory made her India's sixth winner of the world-famous beauty show, a list which also includes legendary Bollywood actresses Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai.
The 20-year-old is a trained Indian classical dancer who is currently studying medicine at the Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women in Sonipat. Who says you can't combine brains and beauty?
According to the Miss World website, Chhillar hopes to use her new fame to open a chain of non-profit hospitals in rural areas. Sounds like a worthy cause, for sure.
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"Thank you, everyone, for your constant love, support [and] prayers!", Chhillar tweeted after her success was announced. "This one's for India."
Prominent Indian figures to offer congratulations to Chhillar over Twitter included the professional boxer Vijender Singth and Vipul Goel, a cabinet minister of her home state of Haryana.
Chillar was crowned by last year's Puerto Rican winner, Stephanie del Valle, with the UK's Stephanie Hill and Mexico's Andrea Meza making up the rest of the podium.
This year's Miss World ceremony took place at the Chinese coastal city of Sanya, making it the fifth time in 10 years that China has hosted the competition.
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The city of Sanya can be found on Hainan Island in the south-east of the country and is known as 'China's Florida' due to its large number of retirees during the winter months.
Miss World is the world's oldest beauty pageant and was created by the British TV host Eric Morley. Along with Miss Universe, Miss Earth and Miss International, it is considered to be one of the Big Four beauty pageants.
Since Morley's death in 2000 his wife Julia Morley has chaired the competition. Interestingly, Morley also founded the BBC's original Come Dancing TV show in the 1950s, which led to the celebrity relaunch Strictly Come Dancing in 2014.
From the sounds of it, Chhillar wouldn't fare too badly in that competition either. Hopefully, for now, she'll have bigger things to do.
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Source: Daily Mail
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Celebrity, News, Strictly Come Dancing, China
