Shagun Sarabhai, a 20-year-old Mumbai homeopathy student who was crowned Miss India Worldwide at a gala banquet. (Click to enlarge images)
Sarabhai, beat contestants from 17 other countries in the diaspora as a panel of judges rated their talent, dress sense in Eastern and Western wear, and answers to questions.
Miss India Canada, Uppeka Jain, 24, was the first princess and Sabiha Hussain, 21, from the host country, was crowned second princess.
With several winners of the 17-year-old pageant started by Dharmatma Saran of New York having gone on to Bollywood, Sarabhai is now also excited about that prospect.
"If offers come my way from Bollywood, I'm going to accept them, yes, but I'm also studying medicine and I'll definitely try to blend both," the winner said.
"It was a little harder for me because I arrived a bit later, but I've always said that hard work pays off and this has proved true," said Sarabhai, whose only nervous moment on stage was when the top three were about to be announced from a shortlist of ten finalists.
"The question and answer round is when you're so nervous because you're faced with so much uncertainty about what question the judges are going to throw at you and what sort of answer you're expected to give. The other parts I was quite confident about."
Crying uncontrollably for the first few minutes after being named the winner, the new Miss India Worldwide quickly regained her composure to pose for the large media contingent as her parents who had flown in specially to support her waited in the wings.
Her mother Bella, a psychologist, and dad Pratesh, a homeopath were overjoyed at their daughter's success.
Commenting on the dance item that she performed, Sarabhai said: 'The song that I chose was done by Bipasha Basu in 'Omkara'. It's actually something that the women have to do in the villages in India to make a living. They have to dance in these bars in cholis and ghagras just to make a living.'
'It was Shagun's charm, poise and grace that epitomises the essence of the culture of an Indian woman that won the day for her,' said the organiser of the event, Farook Khan.
Sarabhai will be taking home with her a package of prizes that includes $5,000 in cash, gold and diamond jewellery, exclusive garments and a laptop computer.
Sarabhai, beat contestants from 17 other countries in the diaspora as a panel of judges rated their talent, dress sense in Eastern and Western wear, and answers to questions.
Miss India Canada, Uppeka Jain, 24, was the first princess and Sabiha Hussain, 21, from the host country, was crowned second princess.
With several winners of the 17-year-old pageant started by Dharmatma Saran of New York having gone on to Bollywood, Sarabhai is now also excited about that prospect.
"If offers come my way from Bollywood, I'm going to accept them, yes, but I'm also studying medicine and I'll definitely try to blend both," the winner said.
"It was a little harder for me because I arrived a bit later, but I've always said that hard work pays off and this has proved true," said Sarabhai, whose only nervous moment on stage was when the top three were about to be announced from a shortlist of ten finalists.
"The question and answer round is when you're so nervous because you're faced with so much uncertainty about what question the judges are going to throw at you and what sort of answer you're expected to give. The other parts I was quite confident about."
Crying uncontrollably for the first few minutes after being named the winner, the new Miss India Worldwide quickly regained her composure to pose for the large media contingent as her parents who had flown in specially to support her waited in the wings.
Her mother Bella, a psychologist, and dad Pratesh, a homeopath were overjoyed at their daughter's success.
Commenting on the dance item that she performed, Sarabhai said: 'The song that I chose was done by Bipasha Basu in 'Omkara'. It's actually something that the women have to do in the villages in India to make a living. They have to dance in these bars in cholis and ghagras just to make a living.'
'It was Shagun's charm, poise and grace that epitomises the essence of the culture of an Indian woman that won the day for her,' said the organiser of the event, Farook Khan.
Sarabhai will be taking home with her a package of prizes that includes $5,000 in cash, gold and diamond jewellery, exclusive garments and a laptop computer.