Harnaaz Sandhu has become the first Indian to win the Miss Universe pageant title in 21 years. The 21-year-old model from Chandigarh is the third Indian to win the coveted title, the first two being Sushmita Sen and Lara Dutta. The latter won the title in 2000, becoming a youth icon.

Meanwhile, a video clip in which Harnaaz is seen delivering a message to youth has been telecast by several TV channels. She is heard asking the young women to not fear anyone and stop building the habit of comparing themselves with others (as quoted by Times Now).

She further said, as quoted by Hindustan Times, "Come out, speak for yourself, because you are the leader of your life. You are the voice of your own."

Commenting on the pageant, former Miss Universe Catriona Gray wrote, "Such a tough competition this year! Not only were there beautiful faces and great walks, but great spokeswomen who had well-rounded campaigns, advocacies, and missions. I will always believe a Miss Universe should be well-rounded in all aspects. So proud of this batch!"

To this day, Sushmita Sen remains the more popular Miss Universe from India. Can Sandhu trump her in terms of popularity by bagging Bollywood projects in the coming years?