Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe Sunday night in a competition that for the first time saw five Indian-origin participating to represent five different nations.
The two runners-up for the crown were Miss Mexico and Miss Puerto Rico.
“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me — with my kind of skin and my kind of hair — was never considered to be beautiful,” she said in her last response. “I think it is time that that stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine,” the winner said.
Shweta Sekhon, a freelance fashion model of Punjabi descent took part as Miss Malaysia in the beauty contest. According to the official Miss Universe website, Ms Sekhon best describes herself as a ‘sporty person’ who was the captain of her school hockey team.
Miss Singapore is Mohanaprabha Selvam, who belongs to the ethnic Indian minority in the country. She recently acquired a degree in Biomedical Science and aspires to work towards promoting sustainable food and businesses to improve lives.
First-generation immigrant, Mehr Eliezer who was born in New Delhi, but was raised in the Philippines and Panama was representing Panama at the acclaimed competition. She is also the first nationalised Panamanian to ever participate and win the Miss Universe Panama pageant.