India breaks a twenty-one year drought to claim the Miss Universe title
In short: In December 2021, Harnaaz Sandhu made history as the first Sikh to win Miss Universe. Held in Eilat, Israel, the 70th edition of the pageant featured eighty contestants and marked a significant moment for India, securing its third victory in the competition's long history.
The 70th Miss Universe pageant took place on 13 December 2021 at the Universe Dome in Eilat, Israel. This custom-built arena, imported from Portugal, was limited to a maximum capacity of 5,000 spectators to mitigate concerns regarding a potential COVID-19 resurgence. This was a significant increase from the 2020 edition, which was held in May 2021 with only 1,750 spectators due to the pandemic.
Harnaaz Sandhu of India was crowned the winner by the outgoing titleholder, Andrea Meza of Mexico. Sandhu's victory was a milestone for her country, representing India's first win in twenty-one years and its third overall. She also distinguished herself as the first Sikh woman to ever hold the title.
The competition saw several logistical shifts and participant changes. While the pageant was broadcast to hundreds of millions of viewers across 172 countries, it was the final edition aired on an American broadcast television network. The event featured the return of host Steve Harvey, who had last served in 2019. The format also saw adjustments, such as reducing the number of semifinalists to sixteen.
The roster of eighty contestants included several notable absences and replacements. Due to travel restrictions, Barbados, Belize, Indonesia, and Malaysia withdrew, while Myanmar and Uruguay withdrew for undisclosed reasons. Additionally, some delegates were appointed following the withdrawal of original winners; for instance, Debbie Aflalo represented the Dominican Republic after the original winner tested positive for COVID-19, and Kawtar Benhalima represented Morocco after the original winner was injured in a car accident.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Miss Universe 2021
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