Miss Diva

The Miss Diva is a national beauty pageant in India that primarily selects India's representatives to Miss Supranational and Miss Cosmo.^[1]

From 2013 to 2023, the primary winner of Miss Diva represented India at Miss Universe, one of the big Four international beauty pageants. However, in 2024, the organization withdrew its Miss Universe license. Miss Diva Universe 2023 Shweta Sharda, was the last representative sent to Miss Universe 2023 by the Miss Diva organization.^[2][3][4]

History

Following the transfer of the Miss Universe franchise by the Miss Universe Organization to Bennett, Coleman and Co., a distinct Miss Diva pageant was established to select India's representatives for Miss Universe. Previously, Femina Miss India designated its winner to compete at Miss Universe. However, in 2010, Tantra Entertainment Private Limited, in partnership with former Miss Universe and renowned Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen, launched a separate pageant, I Am She-Miss Universe India, to send Indian delegates to Miss Universe.

Following 2012, Sushmita Sen and Tantra Entertainment relinquished the Miss Universe license, prompting the Femina Miss India Organization to assume rights for Miss Diva 2013.^[5][6]

The inaugural Miss Diva pageant took place on 5 September 2013, in Mumbai. Fourteen finalists, meticulously selected from across the nation, vied for the coveted crown at the grand finale. Manasi Moghe, hailing from Mumbai, was declared the first-ever "Miss Diva Universe 2013" by the esteemed Zeenat Aman, Miss Asia Pacific 1970, and a renowned Bollywood actress. Gurleen Grewal, representing Punjab, was crowned "Miss Diva International 2013" by Sahar Biniaz, Miss Universe Canada 2012. Finally, Srishti Rana from Faridabad received the title of "Miss Diva Asia Pacific World 2013" from Bollywood's celebrated actress, Raveena Tandon.^[7][8][9]

In 2019, Liva Fluid Fashion secured the sponsorship rights for the Miss Diva pageant. The inaugural edition under their patronage was scheduled for 2020. As there was no pageant held in 2019, the Miss India Organization appointed Indian representatives for international competitions. Vartika Singh and Shefali Sood were selected to compete in Miss Universe 2019 and Miss Supranational 2019, respectively.^[10][11]

In 2024, Miss Diva organization withdrew the license to the Miss Universe organization in 2024 because they felt the organization had changed and needed to address internal issues. The Miss Diva organization has stated they will return to the Miss Universe once the issues has been resolved.

After withdrawing the Miss Universe license, Miss Diva rebranded its 2024 pageant as "LIVA Miss Diva 2.0.", and introduced two new titles: Miss Diva Content Creator and Miss Diva Fashion Designer. In keeping with tradition, the Miss Diva Supranational title continues to be awarded, as it has in previous editions.^[12]

In 2025, the Miss Diva organization obtained the national license for Miss Cosmo, an international pageant based in Vietnam. One of the winners of Miss Diva 2024 will represent India at the second edition of the Miss Cosmo pageant, scheduled to take place in Vietnam in 2025.^[13]

International pageants

In 2013, Srishti Rana won Miss Asia Pacific World 2013 and became the second Indian to win the title. She was crowned by the outgoing titleholder Himangini Singh Yadu from India as well.^[14][15] This gave India a back-to-back victory in the pageant. Rana is the first ever Miss Diva winner to win any international title.^[16] In 2014, India again won the pageant, making it the only country to win any international pageant three years in a row.^[17] (Many other countries such as South Africa have won consecutive pageant awards).

In 2014, Asha Bhat competed at the sixth edition of Miss Supranational and won the pageant.^[18] Asha is the first Indian and second Asian to win the said pageant.^[19] In 2016, Srinidhi Ramesh Shetty was sent to Miss Supranational in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland and she won the title of Miss Supranational 2016.^[20] India is the first country to win Miss Supranational twice and both delegates were sent by Miss Diva.^[21]

In 2021, Miss Diva Universe 2020 Adline Castelino, represented India and was third runner-up at Miss Universe 2020, held in Hollywood, Florida, United States.^[22] She achieved India's highest placement at Miss Universe since Lara Dutta, who won Miss Universe 2000. She also achieved India's third runner-up position at Miss Universe after 55 years.^[23]

In December 2021, Miss Diva Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu, represented India and won at Miss Universe 2021, held in Eilat, Israel.^[24]

Editions

Below is the complete list of Miss Diva editions.

Representatives at international pageants

Miss Supranational

The Times Group acquired the rights to send India's representatives to Miss Supranational in 2013.^[25] From the year 2016 to 2020, the first runner-up of Miss Diva is announced as Miss Supranational India.^[26][27]

Note – Due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, no pageant held in 2020

Miss Cosmo

WorldWide Media Pvt. Ltd., the parent organization of the Miss Diva pageant, acquired the national license for Miss Cosmo in 2025.

Previous franchises

Below are the names of delegates and the international pageants whose franchise was previously owned by the Times Group. Femina Miss India/Miss Diva no longer selects India's representatives for the below listed pageants.

Miss Universe

Miss International

From 1991, The Times Group had the franchise for selecting India's representatives to Miss International. In 2013, Miss Diva runner-up was sent as India's delegate.^[28][29]

Miss Earth

Since the first edition of Miss Earth in 2001, to the year 2013, The Times Group selected India's representatives to the pageant. A runner-up of Miss Diva was sent to Miss Earth in the year 2014.^[30]

Miss Asia Pacific World

The Times Group selected representatives for this pageant in 2013 and 2014. Miss Diva 2013 runner-up, Srishti Rana won the title of Miss Asia Pacific World 2013.^[31]

Titleholders

See also

• Miss Divine Beauty
• List of Indian representatives at international male beauty pageants
• List of beauty pageants

References

1. ^ "Here's all you need to know about LIVA Miss Diva Supranational 2024!". Femina. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
2. ^ "Yamaha Fascino Miss Universe India". EE Business. 2 July 2018.
3. ^ "What are the differences between Miss Universe and Miss World.". Narada News. 6 June 2016. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
4. ^ Saraswat Satpathy, Kriti (10 December 2018). "Make way for the Divas". Femina
5. ^ "Miss Diva 2013 Winners". The Times of India. 6 September 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
6. ^ "Miss Diva 2013: Will Manasi Moghe be the next Miss Universe". rediff.com. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
7. ^ "I represent a billion hopes: Gurleen Grewal". indiatims.com. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
8. ^ "India's Srishti Rana is the new Miss Asia Pacific World 2013". rediff.com. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
9. ^ "INDIA'S SRISHTI RANA CROWNED MISS ASIA PACIFIC WORLD 2013". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
10. ^ "A traditional homecoming for Miss Diva Universe 2019 Vartika Singh". The Times of India. 13 October 2019.
11. ^ "Beauty Pageants Celebrate Women, Says Miss Diva Universe 2019 Vartika Singh.". News18. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
12. ^ "The trailblazing women behind LIVA Miss Diva 2024: Meet the Mentors!". femina.in. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
13. ^ "Worldwide Media acquires Miss Cosmo license, expanding India's global pageant footprint". Femina. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
14. ^ "Srishti Rana of India was crowned Miss Asia Pacific World 2013". jagranjosh.com. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
15. ^ "Indian beauty Srishti Rana crowned Miss Asia Pacific World 2013". hindustantimes.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
16. ^ "India's Srishti Rana crowned Miss Asia Pacific World 2016". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
17. ^ "Swetha Raj – Miss India Australia 2014 wins Miss Asia Pacific Supertalent in Seoul". 24 February 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
18. ^ "Asha Bhat crowned Miss Supranational 2014". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
19. ^ "Photos: Asha Bhat is the first Indian to win Miss Supranational 2014 title". Firstpost. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
20. ^ Banerjee, Anindita (2 December 2017). "Srinidhi Shetty and Asha Bhat: Indians who bagged Miss Supranational crown in the past". Times Now. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
21. ^ "Srinidhi Shetty and Asha Bhat have been titled as Miss Supranational before.". Dailyhunt News. 2 December 2017. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
22. ^ "Miss Universe 2020: Miss Mexico Andrea Meza crowned as the winner, Miss India Adline Castelino finishes fourth". 17 May 2021.
23. ^ "Miss India Adline Castelino bags Fourth Place at Miss Universe 2021". NDTV. 17 May 2021.
24. ^ "India’s Harnaaz Sandhu crowned Miss Universe 2021, title comes home after 21 years". The Financial Express. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
25. ^ "India's Asha Bhat wins Miss Supranational 2014.". First Post
26. ^ Sharadhaa, A (3 December 2016). "India's Srinidhi Shetty bags 'Miss Supranational 2016 crown". Khaleej Times
27. ^ "Mangaluru girl crowned Miss Supranational 2016". Times of India. 4 December 2016.
28. ^ "Miss Diva 2013: Backstage confessions by Gurleen Grewal", retrieved 27 April 2017
29. ^ "Meet the new Miss Diva 2013". 6 September 2013.
30. ^ "Alankrita Sahai is Miss Earth India 2014". The Times of India. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
31. ^ "News18.com: CNN-News18 Breaking News India, Latest News, Current News Headlines". News18. Archived from the original on 25 June 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2018.

External links

• Miss India Organization - website