The Miss India pageant, officially known as Femina Miss India, is a prestigious national beauty contest that has been a cornerstone of India’s cultural and entertainment landscape since its inception in 1964. Organized annually by The Times Group’s Femina magazine, the pageant serves as a platform for young Indian women to showcase their beauty, intelligence, and talent. The winner typically represents India at the Miss World pageant, while runners-up may participate in other international competitions.
Miss India Pageant Format
The Miss India pageant has evolved over the years to include multiple stages designed to assess contestants comprehensively:
- Regional Auditions: Aspiring participants undergo auditions across various cities, where they are evaluated on parameters such as poise, communication skills, and overall personality.
- State-Level Competitions: Selected candidates compete at the state level, with winners advancing to the national pageant.
- Training and Grooming: Finalists receive extensive training in areas like public speaking, etiquette, fitness, and stage presence to prepare for the national competition.
- Sub-Contests: Participants engage in various sub-contests, including talent rounds, fashion shows, and interviews, which contribute to their overall assessment.
- Grand Finale: The culmination of the pageant features rounds such as evening gown presentations, question-and-answer sessions, and cultural performances. A panel of esteemed judges evaluates the contestants to crown the winner.
List of Miss India Winners (1964–2024)
Below is a comprehensive table of Miss India winners from 1964 to 2024, along with their respective states:
Year | Winner | State |
---|---|---|
1964 | Meher Castelino Mistri | Maharashtra |
1965 | Persis Khambatta | Maharashtra |
1966 | Yasmin Daji | Maharashtra |
1967 | Nayyara Mirza | New Delhi |
1968 | Anjum Mumtaz Barg | Maharashtra |
1969 | Kavita Bhambhani | Maharashtra |
1970 | Veena Sajnani | Maharashtra |
1971 | Raj Gill | Maharashtra |
1972 | Roopa Satyan | Maharashtra |
1973 | Farzana Habib | Maharashtra |
1974 | Shalini Bhavnath Dholakia | Maharashtra |
1975 | Meenakshi Kurpad | Maharashtra |
1976 | Naina Sudhir Balsaver | Uttar Pradesh |
1977 | Nalini Viswanathan | Tamil Nadu |
1978 | Alamjeet Kaur Chauhan | Punjab |
1979 | Swaroop Sampat | Maharashtra |
1980 | Sangeeta Bijlani | Maharashtra |
1981 | Rachita Kumar | Maharashtra |
1982 | Pamela Singh | New Delhi |
1983 | Rekha Hande | Karnataka |
1984 | Juhi Chawla | Punjab |
1985 | Sonu Walia | Punjab |
1986 | Mehr Jesia | Maharashtra |
1987 | Priyadarshini Pradhan | Maharashtra |
1988 | Dolly Minhas | Punjab |
1989 | Suzanne Sablok | Maharashtra |
1990 | Suzanne Sablok | Maharashtra |
1991 | Christabelle Howie | Tamil Nadu |
1992 | Madhu Sapre | Maharashtra |
1993 | Namrata Shirodkar | Maharashtra |
1994 | Sushmita Sen | New Delhi |
1995 | Manpreet Brar | New Delhi |
1996 | Sandhya Chib | Karnataka |
1997 | Nafisa Joseph | Karnataka |
1998 | Lymaraina D’Souza | Karnataka |
1999 | Gul Panag | Punjab |
2000 | Lara Dutta | Karnataka |
2001 | Celina Jaitley | West Bengal |
2002 | Neha Dhupia | New Delhi |
2003 | Nikita Anand | New Delhi |
2004 | Tanushree Dutta | Jharkhand |
2005 | Amrita Thapar | Punjab |
2006 | Neha Kapur | New Delhi |
2007 | Sarah Jane Dias | Karnataka |
2008 | Parvathy Omanakuttan | Kerala |
2009 | Pooja Chopra | Maharashtra |
2010 | Manasvi Mamgai | Uttarakhand |
2011 | Kanishtha Dhankar | Haryana |
2012 | Vanya Mishra | Punjab |
2013 | Navneet Kaur Dhillon | Punjab |
2014 | Koyal Rana | New Delhi |
2015 | Aditi Arya | New Delhi |
2016 | Priyadarshini Chatterjee | Assam |
2017 | Manushi Chhillar | Haryana |
2018 | Anukreethy Vas | Tamil Nadu |
2019 | Suman Rao | Rajasthan |
2020 | Manasa Varanasi | Telangana |
2021 | Manasa Varanasi | Telangana |
2022 | Sini Shetty | Karnataka |
2023 | Nandini Gupta | Rajasthan |
2024 | Nikita Porwal | Madhya Pradesh |
Detailed Overview of Each Pageant (1964–2024)
Note: Due to the extensive history of the Miss India pageant, a selection of notable years is highlighted below.
Miss India 1964 Winner – Meher Castelino Mistri
- Winner: Meher Castelino Mistri (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: The inaugural Femina Miss India pageant was held in 1964, marking the beginning of a new era in Indian beauty contests. Meher Castelino Mistri emerged as the first titleholder, setting a precedent for future participants. Details about the hosts and judges for this year are scarce.
Miss India 1965 Winner – Persis Khambatta
- Winner: Persis Khambatta (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Persis Khambatta, hailing from Maharashtra, won the title in 1965. She later gained international fame for her role in “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.” Specific information about the event’s hosts and judges is limited.
Miss India 1966 Winner – Yasmin Daji
- Winner: Yasmin Daji (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Yasmin Daji clinched the crown in 1966. She went on to represent India at the Miss Universe pageant, where she was declared the third runner-up. Details about the event’s hosts and judges are not readily available.
Miss India 1967 Winner – Nayyara Mirza
- Winner: Nayyara Mirza (New Delhi)
- Pageant Details: Nayyara Mirza from New Delhi won the title in 1967. Information regarding the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up is limited.
Miss India 1968 Winner – Anjum Mumtaz Barg
- Winner: Anjum Mumtaz Barg (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Anjum Mumtaz Barg secured the title in 1968. Specific details about the event’s proceedings are scarce.
Miss India 1969 Winner – Kavita Bhambhani
- Winner: Kavita Bhambhani (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Kavita Bhambhani was crowned Miss India in 1969. Further information about the event is limited.
Miss India 1970 Winner – Veena Sajnani
- Winner: Veena Sajnani (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Veena Sajnani won the title in 1970. Details about the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up are not readily available.
Miss India 1971 Winner – Raj Gill
- Winner: Raj Gill (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Raj Gill secured the crown in 1971. Specific information about the event is limited.
Miss India 1972 Winner– Roopa Satyan
- Winner: Roopa Satyan (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Roopa Satyan was crowned Miss India in 1972. Further details about the event are scarce.
Miss India 1973 Winner- Farzana Habib
- Winner: Farzana Habib (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Farzana Habib won the title in 1973. Information regarding the event’s proceedings is limited.
Miss India 1974 Winner– Shalini Bhavnath Dholakia
- Winner: Shalini Bhavnath Dholakia (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Shalini Bhavnath Dholakia secured the crown in 1974. Specific details about the event are not readily available.
Miss India 1975 Winner- Meenakshi Kurpad
- Winner: Meenakshi Kurpad (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Meenakshi Kurpad was crowned Miss India in 1975. Further information about the event is limited.
Miss India 1976 Winner- Naina Sudhir Balsaver
- Winner: Naina Sudhir Balsaver (Uttar Pradesh)
- Pageant Details: Naina Sudhir Balsaver won the title in 1976. Details about the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up are scarce.
Miss India 1977 Winner- Nalini Viswanathan
- Winner: Nalini Viswanathan (Tamil Nadu)
- Pageant Details: Nalini Viswanathan secured the crown in 1977. Specific information about the event is limited.
Miss India 1978 Winner- Alamjeet Kaur Chauhan
- Winner: Alamjeet Kaur Chauhan (Punjab)
- Pageant Details: Alamjeet Kaur Chauhan was crowned Miss India in 1978. Further details about the event are not readily available.
Miss India 1979 Winner- Swaroop Sampat
- Winner: Swaroop Sampat (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Swaroop Sampat won the title in 1979. She later pursued a successful career in acting and academia. Details about the event’s hosts and judges are limited.
Miss India 1980 Winner – Sangeeta Bijlani
- Winner: Sangeeta Bijlani (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Sangeeta Bijlani secured the crown in 1980. She went on to have a successful career in Bollywood. Specific information about the event is scarce.
Miss India 1981 Winner – Rachita Kumar
- Winner: Rachita Kumar (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Rachita Kumar was crowned Miss India in 1981. Further details about the event are limited.
Miss India 1982 Winner– Pamela Singh
- Winner: Pamela Singh (New Delhi)
- Pageant Details: Pamela Singh, representing New Delhi, was crowned Femina Miss India in 1982. Details about the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up are limited.
Miss India 1983 Winner – Rekha Hande
- Winner: Rekha Hande (Karnataka)
- Pageant Details: Rekha Hande from Karnataka won the title in 1983. Specific information about the event’s proceedings is scarce.
Miss India 1984 Winner – Juhi Chawla
- Winner: Juhi Chawla (Punjab)
- Pageant Details: Juhi Chawla, hailing from Punjab, secured the crown in 1984. She later achieved significant success in Bollywood, becoming one of the industry’s leading actresses. Details about the event’s hosts and judges are not readily available.
Miss India 1985 Winner – Sonu Walia
- Winner: Sonu Walia (Punjab)
- Pageant Details: Sonu Walia from Punjab was crowned Femina Miss India in 1985. She pursued a career in acting and modeling post her win. Specific details about the event are limited.
Miss India 1986 Winner – Mehr Jesia
- Winner: Mehr Jesia (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Mehr Jesia, representing Maharashtra, won the title in 1986. She became a prominent figure in the modeling industry and later married actor Arjun Rampal. Information about the event’s hosts and judges is scarce.
Miss India 1987 Winner – Priyadarshini Pradhan
- Winner: Priyadarshini Pradhan (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Priyadarshini Pradhan from Maharashtra secured the crown in 1987. Further details about the event are not readily available.
Miss India 1988 Winner – Dolly Minhas
- Winner: Dolly Minhas (Punjab)
- Pageant Details: Dolly Minhas, hailing from Punjab, was crowned Femina Miss India in 1988. She ventured into acting, appearing in various films and television shows. Specific information about the event is limited.
Miss India 1989 Winner – Suzanne Sablok
- Winner: Suzanne Sablok (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Suzanne Sablok from Maharashtra won the title in 1989. Details about the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up are scarce.
Miss India 1990 Winner – Suzanne Sablok
- Winner: Suzanne Sablok (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Suzanne Sablok was crowned Femina Miss India in 1990. Further information about the event is not readily available.
Miss India 1991 Winner – Christabelle Howie
- Winner: Christabelle Howie (Tamil Nadu)
- Pageant Details: Christabelle Howie, representing Tamil Nadu, secured the crown in 1991. Specific details about the event’s proceedings are limited.
Miss India 1992 Winner – Madhu Sapre
- Winner: Madhu Sapre (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Madhu Sapre from Maharashtra was crowned Femina Miss India in 1992. She later pursued a successful modeling career and represented India at the Miss Universe pageant, where she was the second runner-up. Details about the event’s hosts and judges are scarce.
Miss India 1993 Winner – Namrata Shirodkar
- Winner: Namrata Shirodkar (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Namrata Shirodkar, hailing from Maharashtra, won the title in 1993. She transitioned into acting, appearing in several Bollywood films, and later married actor Mahesh Babu. Specific information about the event is limited.
Miss India 1994 Winner – Sushmita Sen
- Winner: Sushmita Sen (New Delhi)
- Runner-Up: Aishwarya Rai (Karnataka)
- Pageant Details: The 1994 pageant was a landmark event, with Sushmita Sen winning the title and later becoming the first Indian to be crowned Miss Universe. The first runner-up, Aishwarya Rai, went on to win the Miss World title the same year. This year marked India’s dominance in international beauty pageants. Details about the event’s hosts and judges are not readily available.
Miss India 1995 Winner – Manpreet Brar
- Winner: Manpreet Brar (New Delhi)
- Pageant Details: Manpreet Brar from New Delhi secured the crown in 1995. She represented India at the Miss Universe pageant and was the first runner-up. Specific information about the event’s proceedings is limited.
Miss India 1996 Winner – Sandhya Chib
- Winner: Sandhya Chib (Karnataka)
- Pageant Details: Sandhya Chib, representing Karnataka, was crowned Femina Miss India in 1996. Details about the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up are scarce.
Miss India 1997 Winner – Nafisa Joseph
- Winner: Nafisa Joseph (Karnataka)
- Pageant Details: Nafisa Joseph from Karnataka won the title in 1997. She was a successful model and MTV video jockey. Specific information about the event is limited.
Miss India 1998 Winner – Lymaraina D’Souza
- Winner: Lymaraina D’Souza (Karnataka)
- Pageant Details: Lymaraina D’Souza from Karnataka was crowned Femina Miss India Universe 1998. She represented India at the Miss Universe 1998 pageant. Details about the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up are limited.
Miss India 1999 Winner – Gul Panag
- Winner: Gul Panag (Punjab)
- Pageant Details: Gul Panag, hailing from Punjab, won the title in 1999. She later pursued a successful career in acting and politics. Specific information about the event’s proceedings is limited.
Miss India 2000 Winner – Lara Dutta
- Winner: Lara Dutta (Karnataka)
- Pageant Details: Lara Dutta from Karnataka secured the crown in 2000 and went on to win the Miss Universe title the same year, marking a significant achievement for India on the global stage. Details about the event’s hosts and judges are not readily available.
Miss India 2001 Winner – Celina Jaitley
- Winner: Celina Jaitley (West Bengal)
- Pageant Details: Celina Jaitley, representing West Bengal, was crowned Femina Miss India Universe 2001. She later ventured into Bollywood, appearing in various films. Specific information about the event is limited.
Miss India 2002 Winner – Neha Dhupia
- Winner: Neha Dhupia (New Delhi)
- Pageant Details: Neha Dhupia from New Delhi won the title in 2002. She pursued a successful acting career in Bollywood and later became a prominent television personality. Details about the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up are scarce.
Miss India 2003 Winner – Nikita Anand
- Winner: Nikita Anand (New Delhi)
- Pageant Details: Nikita Anand, hailing from New Delhi, secured the crown in 2003. She later worked as a television presenter and actress. Specific information about the event’s proceedings is limited.
Miss India 2004 Winner – Tanushree Dutta
- Winner: Tanushree Dutta (Jharkhand)
- Pageant Details: Tanushree Dutta from Jharkhand was crowned Femina Miss India Universe 2004. She represented India at the Miss Universe 2004 pageant and later entered Bollywood. Details about the event’s hosts and judges are not readily available.
Miss India 2005 Winner – Amrita Thapar
- Winner: Amrita Thapar (Punjab)
- Pageant Details: Amrita Thapar, representing Punjab, won the title in 2005. She represented India at the Miss Universe 2005 pageant. Specific information about the event is limited.
Miss India 2006 Winner – Neha Kapur
- Winner: Neha Kapur (New Delhi)
- Pageant Details: Neha Kapur from New Delhi secured the crown in 2006. She later married actor Kunal Nayyar and pursued a career in fashion. Details about the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up are scarce.
Miss India 2007 Winner – Sarah Jane Dias
- Winner: Sarah Jane Dias (Karnataka)
- Pageant Details: Sarah Jane Dias, hailing from Karnataka, was crowned Femina Miss India World 2007. She represented India at the Miss World 2007 pageant and later ventured into acting and hosting. Specific information about the event’s proceedings is limited.
Miss India 2008 Winner – Parvathy Omanakuttan
- Winner: Parvathy Omanakuttan (Kerala)
- Pageant Details: Parvathy Omanakuttan from Kerala won the title in 2008. She was the first runner-up at the Miss World 2008 pageant, bringing pride to the nation. Details about the event’s hosts and judges are not readily available.
Miss India 2009 Winner – Pooja Chopra
- Winner: Pooja Chopra (Maharashtra)
- Pageant Details: Pooja Chopra, representing Maharashtra, secured the crown in 2009. She won the “Beauty with a Purpose” award at the Miss World 2009 pageant and later pursued acting. Specific information about the event is limited.
Miss India 2010 Winner – Manasvi Mamgai
- Winner: Manasvi Mamgai (Uttarakhand)
- Pageant Details: Manasvi Mamgai from Uttarakhand was crowned Femina Miss India World 2010. She represented India at the Miss World 2010 pageant and later entered Bollywood. Details about the event’s hosts, judges, and runners-up are scarce.
Miss India 2011 Winner – Kanishtha Dhankar
- Winner: Kanishtha Dhankar (Haryana)
- Pageant Details: Kanishtha Dhankar, hailing from Haryana, won the title in 2011. She represented India at the Miss World 2011 pageant and pursued a successful modeling career. Specific information about the event’s proceedings is limited.
Miss India 2012 Winner – Vanya Mishra
- Winner: Vanya Mishra (Punjab)
- Pageant Details: Vanya Mishra from Punjab secured the crown in 2012. She won two sub-titles at the Miss World 2012 pageant and later became an entrepreneur.
Miss India 2013 Winner – Navneet Kaur Dhillon
- Winner: Navneet Kaur Dhillon (Punjab)
- Runners-Up: Sobhita Dhulipala (Andhra Pradesh) and Zoya Afroz (Uttar Pradesh)
- Pageant Details: The 2013 pageant was held on March 24, 2013, at Yash Raj Studios, Mumbai. Navneet Kaur Dhillon was crowned Femina Miss India World 2013. The event was hosted by Manish Paul and Karan Johar, with judges including Asin Thottumkal, Karan Johar, and Chitrangada Singh.
Miss India 2014 Winner – Koyal Rana
- Winner: Koyal Rana (New Delhi)
- Runners-Up: Jhataleka Malhotra (Maharashtra) and Gail Nicole Da Silva (Goa)
- Pageant Details: The grand finale took place on April 5, 2014, at Yash Raj Studios, Mumbai. Koyal Rana was crowned Femina Miss India World 2014. The event was hosted by Bollywood actors Riteish Deshmukh and Boman Irani, with judges including Abhay Deol, Bipasha Basu, and Madhur Bhandarkar.
Miss India 2015 Winner – Aditi Arya
- Winner: Aditi Arya (New Delhi)
- Runners-Up: Aafreen Vaz (Mangaluru) and Vartika Singh (Lucknow)
- Pageant Details: The finale was held on March 28, 2015, at Yash Raj Studios, Mumbai. Aditi Arya was crowned Femina Miss India World 2015. The event was hosted by Manish Paul, with judges including Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, and Shilpa Shetty.
Miss India 2016 Winner – Priyadarshini Chatterjee
- Winner: Priyadarshini Chatterjee (Assam)
- Runners-Up: Sushruthi Krishna (Karnataka) and Pankhuri Gidwani (Uttar Pradesh)
- Pageant Details: The grand finale took place on April 9, 2016, at Yash Raj Studios, Mumbai. Priyadarshini Chatterjee was crowned Femina Miss India World 2016. The event was hosted by Shahid Kapoor and Manish Paul, with judges including Arjun Kapoor, Amy Jackson, and Sanjay Dutt.
Miss India 2017 Winner – Manushi Chhillar
- Winner: Manushi Chhillar (Haryana)
- Runners-Up: Sana Dua (Jammu & Kashmir) and Priyanka Kumari (Bihar)
- Pageant Details: The finale was held on June 25, 2017, at Yash Raj Studios, Mumbai. Manushi Chhillar was crowned Femina Miss India World 2017 and later won the Miss World 2017 title. The event was hosted by Karan Johar and Riteish Deshmukh, with judges including Arjun Rampal, Bipasha Basu, and Manish Malhotra.
Miss India 2018 Winner – Anukreethy Vas
- Winner: Anukreethy Vas (Tamil Nadu)
- Runners-Up: Meenakshi Chaudhary (Haryana) and Shreya Rao Kamavarapu (Andhra Pradesh)
- Pageant Details: The grand finale took place on June 19, 2018, at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium, Mumbai. Anukreethy Vas was crowned Femina Miss India World 2018. The event was hosted by Karan Johar and Ayushmann Khurrana, with judges including Malaika Arora, Bobby Deol, and Kunal Kapoor.
Miss India 2019 Winner – Suman Rao
- Winner: Suman Rao (Rajasthan)
- Runners-Up: Shivani Jadhav (Chhattisgarh) and Shreya Shanker (Bihar)
- Pageant Details: The finale was held on June 15, 2019, at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium, Mumbai. Suman Rao was crowned Femina Miss India World 2019. The event was hosted by Karan Johar, Manish Paul, and Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, with judges including Huma Qureshi, Chitrangada Singh, and Remo D’Souza.
Miss India 2020 Winner – Manasa Varanasi
- Winner: Manasa Varanasi (Telangana)
- Runners-Up: Manya Singh (Uttar Pradesh) and Manika Sheokand (Haryana)
- Pageant Details: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 pageant was conducted virtually, with the grand finale held on February 10, 2021. Manasa Varanasi was crowned Femina Miss India World 2020. The event was hosted by Aparshakti Khurana, with judges including Neha Dhupia, Chitrangada Singh, and Pulkit Samrat.
Miss India 2021 Winner – Manasa Varanasi
- Winner: Manasa Varanasi (Telangana)
- Runners-Up: Manya Singh (Uttar Pradesh) and Manika Sheokand (Haryana)
- Pageant Details: The 2021 pageant followed a similar virtual format due to ongoing pandemic restrictions. Manasa Varanasi continued her reign as Femina Miss India World 2021. Details about the event’s hosts and judges are limited.
Miss India 2022 Winner – Sini Shetty
- Winner: Sini Shetty (Karnataka)
- Runners-Up: Rubal Shekhawat (Rajasthan) and Shinata Chauhan (Uttar Pradesh)
- Pageant Details: The 2022 Femina Miss India pageant concluded with Sini Shetty from Karnataka being crowned the winner. The event was a grand affair, featuring dazzling performances and esteemed judges from various fields. Details about the hosts and specific judges for this year are limited.
Miss India 2023 Winner – Nandini Gupta
- Winner: Nandini Gupta (Rajasthan)
- Runners-Up: Shreya Poonja (Delhi) and Thounaojam Strela Luwang (Manipur)
- Pageant Details: The 59th edition of Femina Miss India was held on April 15, 2023, at the Indoor Stadium, Khuman Lampak, Imphal, Manipur. Nandini Gupta from Rajasthan was crowned Femina Miss India World 2023. The event featured performances by Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday. The panel of judges included Neha Dhupia, Laishram Sarita Devi, Terence Lewis, Harshavardhan Kulkarni, Rocky Star, and Namrata Joshipura.
Miss India 2024 Winner – Nikita Powal
- Winner: Nikita Powal (Madhya Pradesh)
- Pageant Details: Nikita Powal from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, was crowned Femina Miss India World 2024. Overcoming challenges from her hometown and with support from her family, she now aims for international success at the Miss World pageant.
The Femina Miss India pageant continues to be a prestigious platform, empowering young Indian women and providing them with opportunities to represent the nation on global stages