In 1994, 18-year-old Sushmita Sen won the Femina Miss India pageant and finally won the crown of Miss Universe 1994. Interestingly, she had almost withdrawn her application.
"Just being a woman is a gift of God that all of us must appreciate." - Sushmita Sen
Back in 1994, Sushmita Sen created history by becoming the first Indian to win the Miss Universe crown. Obviously, it was a moment of pride for every Indian. But more than that, it paved the way for a whole new era for our country. Before her victory, the idea of fashion for women was mostly limited to the elite class here. Sushmita, coming from a middle-class background, broke that norm and proved that it's for everyone - regardless of their socio-economic status. And she inspired countless young women across the nation to break societal chains and chase their dreams.
Well, Sushmita Sen, at the age of 18, won the Femina Miss India, earning the right to compete in the Miss Universe 1994 pageant. Finally, she won the Miss Universe crown as well. However, quite surprisingly, she had actually decided to withdraw her Miss India application because she wasn't confident enough.
1994 :: Sushmita Sen On The Cover Of Femina Magazine After Winning Miss Universe Title pic.twitter.com/ldH7HR7A2w
— indianhistorypics (@IndiaHistorypic) July 14, 2022
Credit: indianhistorypics
Today, as the model-turned-actress turns 49, let's learn about that in this article.
As you may know, Aishwarya Rai competed in the same Miss India beauty pageant, where she emerged as the runner-up. While Sushmita went on to participate in the Miss Universe contest (and eventually won), Aishwarya did the same for the Miss World contest that year.
What's interesting is that before the Miss India contest, Aishwarya was much more popular (thanks to her already-established modeling career) than Sushmita. She had enthralled the nation with her beauty, making everyone believe that she had literally no competition at Miss India. Hence, nearly 25 girls walked out of the contest.
Sushmita, too, was not confident enough to walk the same stage as Aishwarya. Also, while submitting her application, she was told, "... 25 girls have removed their names from Miss India this time, think about it, do you want to do or not?" Recalling her doubts at that time, she later shared in an interview, “I thought to myself, ‘Aishwarya is just too beautiful. Why even try?’" Therefore, she told the organizers, "Please return my form as well, I don't want to participate."
Upon returning home, Sushmita shared her decision with her mother, leaving her utterly disappointed.As the 'Main Hoon Na' actress later shared in an interview, "I returned home and was scolded at home by my mother. 'What is this, you lost hope without even trying? So what, let her win. If you think she's the world's most beautiful woman, then lose against her. What's the point of losing to someone else? Go give it your best shot.'"
Happy Mother's Day!! These eyes fill me with courage..that smile tells me I am home!! I love u Maašā¤ļøš pic.twitter.com/Gl4BNx8d2Z
— sushmita sen (@thesushmitasen) May 8, 2016
Credit: sushmitasen
Well, she was convinced and hence went back to submit her application. The rest, as they say, is history!
About The Miss India 1994 Contest - Sushmita Sen & Aishwarya Rai's Performances
As everyone had expected, Aishwarya scored the highest in all the preliminary rounds of Miss India 1994. Sushmita almost believed she would not have any chance against her. However, she didn't give up and continued delivering her best. And therefore, she performed remarkably well in the final round and eventually won the title. Aishwarya was declared the first runner-up.
Later that year, the two divas brought home the crowns of Miss Universe and Miss World, respectively. Three decades on, both have had successful careers in Bollywood.
It's worth noting that over the last three decades, Sushmita has time and again been compared (society, you know...) with Aishwarya, with many believing that the latter deserved to win the title. However, referring to this, Sushmita once said in an interview, "I don't compare myself to Aishwarya's performance. I think she was fabulous on stage. I do believe in two things: One, that night, I was the best and that's why I deserved to win, not because I was better than someone else. It is only because I was at my best.”
Happy Birthday, Sushmita Sen. You Are An Inspiration!
