MISS India, Lara Dutta, was crowned Miss Universe at 6am yesterday morning, as the fraught and glittery beauty pageant finally came to a close in the Eleftheria Stadium, Nicosia.
Dutta, who is a 21-year-old economics graduate, takes up her title alongside compatriot Yukta Mookhey, Miss World 1999, making it a double for India in the planet’s top two beauty contests.
The new Miss Universe said she would work with medical charities, with emphasis on Aids education among women. “The majority of women in my country are illiterate and uneducated so we have to start there to educate them,” she said. “That is what I will do with India and progress to the rest of the world.”
A crowd favourite from the pageant’s opening, Miss India quickly catapulted to firm favourite after the top five delegates were announced just before 5am.
Earlier, the top ten finalists, who had been chosen by judges at the preliminary pageant on May 7, were announced after the television screens relayed the pre-recorded opening routine, depicting the birth of Aphrodite.
The lucky ten were India, Spain — winner of the media’s photogenic award last weekend — Colombia, Zimbabwe, Estonia, Venezuela, South Africa, USA, Canada and France.
The audience were then treated to the ten beauties modelling in their swimsuits. All except Miss Colombia opted, with maximum confidence, for the red bikini. Back-up came from the rest of the delegates, who strutted across the stage in formation in blue suits.
As the scantily-clad girls struck their best attitudes, Elvis Crespo performed his hit single Suavamente to get everyone in the right frame of mind.
Next up was the top ten’s choice of evening gown, to the backdrop of Montel Jordan crooning Careless Whisper, accompanied by saxophonist Dave Koz. But it was Cypriot singer Anna Vissi who, on home ground, drew most applause with her English song On a Night Like This.
After the evening gown parade, the top five winners were announced -and the disappointed delegates from Columbia, Zimbabwe, Estonia, South Africa and France crashed out.
US comedian Sinbad then conducted a 60-second interview with each of the five finalists, before the top three were confirmed. The North American contingent departed, leaving Spain, Venezuela and India to answer the Miss Universe title question: “There are people here in Cyprus who are saying that the Miss Universe pageant is disrespectful to women. Prove them wrong.”
The question was a reference to the stadium’s parish church of Ayios Panteleimonos, where churchgoers staged a simultaneous, all-night vigil to protest against the “evil” nature of the event.
Church members distributed fliers to drivers passing the stadium on Friday night, accusing the show of “shooting woman down to the bottomless pits of hell”.
Miss India’s winning answer was perfect for the “redefined” competition, which prides itself on promoting women’s intelligence. “Beauty pageants are a platform for women to forge ahead, to voice their choices and work side-by-side to men in all spheres,” she announced.
Minutes later she was crowned by Miss Universe 1999, Mpule Kwelagobe.
Judges said they selected Miss India because of “the way she carried herself, her grace and presence”.
The show, held early yesterday morning to coincide with prime time television in the US, is broadcast to 125 countries. It incorporated filmed snippets from Lefkara, Limassol, Larnaca, Nicosia, Paphos and Ayia Napa. It was this global advertisement for the island that Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Nicos Rolandis, championed in his support for the pageant.
“For Cyprus it was really great, you know it looked really good. I think we’re going to get lots more tourists,” said one girl in the audience afterwards.
The Oscar de la Renta swimwear prize also went to Miss India. Miss Mexico, Leticia Murray, collected the Clairol Prize for “unique sense of hair style”. The pageant’s congeniality award went to Miss Aruba, Tamara Scaroni.
First runner-up to the new Miss Universe was Miss Venezuela, Claudia Moreno. Second runner-up was Miss Spain, Helen Lindes.
