Johannesberg, December 13: Quite a few of the Indian beauties have clinched the Miss World crown in the past. Reita Faria, Aishwarya Rai, Diana Hayden, Yukta Mookhey and Priyanka Chopra have all been crowned Miss World previously. Last year, with Indian beauty Parvathy Omanakuttan missing the title by a whisker, there was a great deal of expectation from Pooja this year. Unfortunately, Miss India Pooja Chopra failed to make it to the final round of seven competitors at the 59th edition of the big night on Saturday in Johannesberg, South Africa. But the gorgeous lady has surely done the country proud with her confidence and determination.
Nevertheless, at the gala pageant here, Gibraltar`s Kaiane Aldorino was crowned Miss World 2009 while Mexico`s Perla Beltr and South Africa`s Tatum Keshwar were declared the first and second runners-up respectively.
Pooja failed to make it to the final round of seven competitors, dashing the hopes of many an Indian of getting the title back to the country. The Indian beauty had earlier made it to the semifinal round of 16 competitors on the basis of her Beauty With Purpose project on saving the girl child. Pooja got some of the loudest applause for bravely taking on the contest despite a broken ankle.
Before leaving for the Miss World ’09 pageant, Pooja Chopra had said, “Day and night I have been dreaming about the crown, how it would feel when I touch it, the colours, the sparkle of the diamond, the sapphire, everything. So the moment I get it, I’m not going to leave it!”
Coincidentally, it’s the two beautiful Chopra girls who were seen representing India at the glittering event. We got to see Pooja Chopra as India’s entry at the contest, and also former Miss World and Bollywood super-star Priyanka Chopra as one of the judges on the panel.
Bollywood superstar Priyanka Chopra added some glamour to the panel of judges at the pageant, hosted by the City of Johannesburg as a tourism marketing tool for the second year in a row.
“I’m a lot more nervous than the girls,” Chopra said when asked how she felt about helping decide how the life of one young woman would change forever.
“(Watching them) I remembered every moment when I was up there myself (in 2000),” the former Miss World said.
On the other hand, Pooja’s faith in herself is ought to be appreciated as she always seemed to be keeping her going despite – of all things – her injured leg! Nothing, not even this sprained ankle seemed to be holding her confidence down even when she knew she can only be gingerly limping on the stage while other contenders would woo the audience with their graceful ‘stiletto-ed’ cat walk across the stage!
Miss World 2008, Ksenia Sukhinova of Russia, will be there to hand over her crown to the pageant winner this year. The event will be hosted by Chinese TV presenter Angela Chow, South African former beauty queen Michelle McLean, and Miss World official Steve Douglas.
Kudos to Pooja for putting her best foot forward at the competition and attempting her best at bringing home the world…
—Agencies