AKIPRESS.COM - An Indian medical student has been crowned Miss World 2017 making her country the joint-most successful in the beauty pageant’s history.
Manushi Chhillar, 20, is the sixth Indian winner of the prestigious competition, following in the footsteps of Bollywood actresses Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai.
Her win means that India is now level with Venezuela as they both hold six victories over the course of the pageant’s 67 years, The Independent reported.
Trained as an Indian classical dancer, Chhillar who also enjoys painting hopes to open a chain of non-profit hospitals in rural areas, according to the Miss World website.
Chhillar was crowned the winner by last year’s champion Stephanie del Valle of Puerto Rico, while Stephanie Hill of England and Andrea Meza of Mexico finished as runners-up.
The competition returned to Sanya, on China’s Hainan Island for the seventh time, where the event was last held in 2015.