27 Years Of India’s First Miss Universe Win Sushmita Sen Writes: “It Changed An 18-Year-Old’s Life”

For those who need a memory booster, Sushmita Sen made history by bringing home the Miss Universe crown to India for the first time in 1994. Today marks 27 years of the memorable day, which had changed her life forever. “Have you ever stared at the impossible and thanked god for giving you the opportunity to make it possible? I have!” Sushmita Sen, who is 45 today, wrote in an emotional post. “To my motherland India, Happy 27th Anniversary of India’s first ever victory at Miss Universe in Manila, Philippines. That early morning on May 21 1994 not only changed an 18-year-old’s life forever… it made history,” the former beauty queen added.

Greeting Philippines in their national language Tagalog, Sushmita wrote: “Mahal Kita, Philippines for the romance we have shared for 27 years and counting.” She also acknowledged Carolina Gómez, the first runner-up at the Miss Universe pageant, and said: “Thank you Miss Colombia 1994 Carolina for teaching me undying grace! Thank you to all the kind and loving people, from around the globe that touched my life from a very young age and inspired the woman I am today! Eternally grateful I remain!”

Needless to say that Sushmita Sen’s post comes with a gorgeous photo of herself from the Miss Universe pageant:

In 1994, as Sushmita Sen won the Miss Universe pageant, Aishwarya Rai was crowned Miss India. Speaking to Rajeev Masand on talk show Women We Love some time ago, Sushmita revealed her passport was misplaced just before she was about to leave for Miss Universe and the organisers asked Sushmita to participate in Miss World and let Aishwarya Rai, who was the first runner-up, go for the Miss Universe competition. Earlier, Sushmita Sen had also revealed that her Miss India gown was stitched by a local tailor working in a garage in Delhi’s Sarojini Nagar and that she wore socks as gloves.

Two years after Sushmita Sen’s Miss Universe win, she stepped into Bollywood with 1996 film Dastak. She is best known for films such as Biwi No.1, Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge, Aankhen and Main Hoon Na, among others. She was last seen in the web-series Aarya.