Who is Divita Rai? All you need to know about the Miss Universe contestant representing India

So, what all do we know about Divita who was crowned Miss Universe India in August 2022?

Early life

Growing up in Mangaluru, Karnataka, Divita always dreamt of becoming Miss India. Her grandmother used to dress up with the crown and sash as a little girl. She said in an interview with Zoom TV, that she graduated from the Sir JJ College of Architecture, a noted institution in Mumbai. Post that she also tried her hand at set designing. But she always had her eyes on the coveted beauty pageant.

Never one to give up, Divita told healthshots.com in an interview that she participated many times in the competition before, but did not qualify. She reached the top three spots for Miss Diva 2021, but lost the crown to the winner Harnaaz Sandhu (who went on to become Miss Universe). But the runner-up title was not enough for Divita who took part in following year’s Miss Diva 2022, the tenth iteration of the pageant.

This time, there was no holding her back as she took home the crown. Divita claims she doesn’t want to look back on life and have any regrets. At Miss Diva 2021 competition, she won the titles of Miss IQ, Miss Lifestyle, and Miss Sudoku.

Divita believes in breaking and remolding stereotypes that exist for women. Beauty is not just skin deep, and Divita truly believes in this adage. In her interview with healthshots.com, she was also very open about her struggle with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), that many women too experience.

She stays active by indulging in her favourite sports — badminton and basketball.

The Miss Universe ceremony will take place on the morning of January 15 (Indian Standard Time). And Divita is already in the US taking part in the preliminary rounds of the competition. Fans have been catching glimpses of this on her Instagram. For the National Costume round, she wowed the crowd with a blingy golden lehenga that was also embellished with elaborate wings.

“My National Costume is inspired from the ethereal portrayal of India as the golden bird which is a symbol of wealth of our rich cultural heritage along with the spiritual essence of living in harmony with diversity,” she said on her Instagram post. She also donned a pink bikini with a cape for the swimsuit round that was designed by Indian designer Parab Sahib. The cape, that is christened Dil Se, is an ode to love without any judgements and celebrated the LGBTQ+ community, Divita explained on social media.

With so much love to give, here’s hoping Divita brings home the crown again.

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