At Miss Universe 2023, Divita Rai turns into 'Sone Ki Chidiya' in fitting tribute to India

Divita Rai is representing India at the Miss Universe pageant this year which is set to take place on January 14. The 71st Miss Universe with 80 delegates from across the globe will be held at the Ernest N. Moral Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, US. The winner will be crowned by Harnaaz Sandhu, the reigning Miss Universe from India.

Ahead of the final round where the winner will be announced, several rounds of the competition including the 'National Costume' round took place. India's entry for Ms Universe, Divita Rai, turned into a breathtaking 'Sone Ki Chidiya' by wearing a magnificent golden lehenga with wings. 

The designer of the beautiful dress representing our country, Abhishek Sharma, penned an Instagram note where he shared several pictures talking about the inspiration and details of the golden ensemble. 

"Divita Rai @divitarai looking regal. The National Costume is inspired by the ethereal portrayal of India as the golden bird which is a symbol of the wealth of our rich cultural heritage along with the spiritual essence of living in harmony with diversity," he wrote.

"The intense gold metallic hand embellishments are a true example of the finest craftsmanship of our artisans. The lehenga is made from a hand-woven tissue fabric from the Chandheri District of Madhya Pradesh with the drape representing the image of a modern India," the designer added in the caption. 

He further explained, "The wings represent the power of nourishment and care that India has shown in the difficult times towards the citizens of the world and took care and stood as a support with the notion of 'One World One Family'."

"The national costume in its true sense is the essence of modern India and its approach to progressive thinking," he wrote.

Who is Divita Rai?

Hailing from Karnataka, 25-year-old Divita Rai, was crowned Miss Universe India on August 28, 2022, in Mumbai by Harnaaz Sandhu, the outgoing Miss Universe India and Miss Universe 2021. Divita will now compete in the Miss Universe 2022 pageant as India's representative. 

Prior to this, Rai was placed among the top three Karnataka finalists competing to advance to Femina Miss India 2019. She participated in Miss Diva 2021 and finished second behind Harnaaz Sandhu. Throughout the competition, she also took home the titles of Miss IQ, Miss Lifestyle, and Miss Sudoku.

The model was born in Mangalore, but due to her father's transferable employment, she has lived in many regions of the country. A model and architect by profession, she completed her education at National Public School in Bangalore before enrolling in the Sir JJ College of Architecture in Mumbai.

Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, a media businesswoman in Thailand, recently acquired the Miss Universe organization from IMG through her business, JKN Global Group. Additionally, an all-female leadership team now oversees Miss Universe, the oldest and most renowned international competition.