| HAS ARRIVED TO INDIA | | | | INDIA OR VENEZUELA? |
| By Alejandro Guevara Onofre | | | | India has won five Miss World titles and two Miss |
| A BIG PARADISE… | | | | Universe titles. Since 1990, Miss Venezuela and Miss |
| India is a "big paradise" in Asia. Exotic culture, priceless | | | | India are rivals in the beauty world. |
| art, modern cities, national parks, and friendly people | | | | 1966: London, England. Miss India, Rita Faria, was |
| make the India an excellent destination for tourists...a | | | | elected Miss World. |
| vast space of immense beauty. Throughout the 21st | | | | 1994: Manila (Philippines). Miss India, Shusmita Sen, |
| century, India still maintains traditional lifestyle. The | | | | was crowned Miss Universe. |
| Festival of Laxmi is one of the most well-know | | | | 1994: Sun City (South Africa).Miss India, Aishwarya |
| religious festival in the Hindu religion. Laxmi is the | | | | Rai, won the Miss World pageant. |
| Goddess of the peace and prosperity. The Festival of | | | | 1997: Mahe, Seychelles. Miss India, Diana Hayden, was |
| Laxmi plays a profound role in the lives of many | | | | elected Miss Asia and Miss World. |
| Indians. | | | | 1999: London, England. India's Yukta Mookhey won |
| India is known in history as the birthplace of | | | | the Miss World title. |
| Mohandas K. Gandhi, whose legacy was the | | | | 2000: Nicosia, Cyprus. Miss India, Lara Dutta, was |
| democracy. Once Gandhi said, "You must be the | | | | crowned Miss Universe. |
| change you wish to see in the world". | | | | 2000: London, England. India's Priyanka Chopra was |
| THE THIRD WORLD`S FIRST DEMOCRACY… | | | | crowned Miss Asia and Miss World. |
| Since 1947, India, an ex British colony, is a democratic | | | | In 2004, Julia Roberts, American actress, said, |
| country in the Third World. Different from Pakistan | | | | "Aishwarya Rai is the most beautiful woman in the |
| (dictatorship), Bhutan (absolutist monarchy), Nepal | | | | world". She was Miss India-World, Miss Asia and Miss |
| (absolutist monarchy) and Myanmar (military | | | | World (1994). Currently, Aishwarya is a famous |
| dictatorship), India did not have dictators. | | | | actress in Bollywood. She has won several awards in |
| From 1900 to 1947, the country had one of the | | | | her country and Asia. |
| worst famine in the modern history. At that time, | | | | FOREING POLICY… |
| India was one of the most poorest countries in the | | | | India maintains good relations with the United |
| world. After 1947, the government expanded "The | | | | Kingdom, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, |
| Green Revolution". During this period of time, India's | | | | Sri Lanka, Uganda, Canada, Maldives, Mexico, Japan, |
| export to world included sugar, corn, and cotton. | | | | Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh Germany and the United |
| Since then, India's economy witnessed the most rapid | | | | States. |
| growth in its history. By the mid-1990s, the economy | | | | DID YOU KNOWN… |
| was industrialized However, India's human | | | | "Gandhi" a film by British director Richard |
| development system is considered among the worst | | | | Atenborough was inspired in the life of Mohandas K. |
| in Asia. | | | | Gandhi (1869-1948). "Gandhi" won 8 Academy |
| FAMOUS WOMEN… | | | | Awards in the 1980s. |
| There are many women that have made themselves | | | | SPORTS…. |
| known in Bombay or Bangalore and abroad: | | | | From 1900 to 1976, field hockey was the national |
| Rohini Hattangady (actress); Nandita Das (actress); | | | | sport in India. It won seven gold medals in field |
| Nazzia Hassan (singer); Usha Rai (journalist); | | | | hockey in the Olympic Games history. India's national |
| Balasaraswathi (dancer); Kavita Srivajtava (women's | | | | field hockey team won its last gold medal at the |
| rights activist); Jessica Dragonette (actress); Sarojini | | | | 1964 Olympic Games. |
| Naidu (poetess); Devagmita Patnaik (dancer); Shantala | | | | CINEMATOGRAPHY… |
| Shivalingappa (dancer); Poolan Devi (women's rights | | | | -The Indian film industry makes more films each year |
| activist); Indira Gandhi (former Prime Minister of | | | | than the United States, France, Italy, and the |
| India); Maddhur Jaffrey (actress); Karnan Malleswari | | | | People's Republic of China. |
| (sportswoman); Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (writer) and | | | | DID YOU KNOWN… |
| Shanta Rao (dancer). | | | | The Parcheesi is the national game of India. It is a |
| WHAT COUNTRY HAS MORE BEAUTIFUL WOMAN: | | | | board game. |