Born in Bombay, Reita Faria Powell was the first Indian lady who has donned the prestigious crown of Miss World, shooting the nation to fame in the fashion field too. She had been nominated to participate in the Miss World competitions in the year 1966 after her victory in the Eve's Weekly Miss India contest. This contest is often confused with the Femina Miss India competition which was actually won my Yasmin Daji in that year.

But soon after she had won the competition she had refused to stay in the same field changing lanes to medicine. He had an M.B.B.S degree that she earned from  Grant Medical College & Sir J. J. Group of Hospitals after she concentrated on a career in medicine jettisoning her career in modeling and movies.

She presently lives in Dublin with her husband who is also a doctor, an endocrinologist, David Powell. Powell married Reita in 1971 and they have two children. They also have 5 grandchildren. Reita had the honor of being the judge in the 1998 Femina Miss India competitions. She had also been a judge in several Miss World Competitions.  She had been a co-judge in the 1976 Miss World Finals along with Demis Roussos. The 1976 crown, of the event which was held in London then, went to Cindy Breakspeare, after the results were declared.

Today, competing with 115 other countries, Vanya Mishra is representing India in the 62nd Miss World pageant which is being held in Ordos, China. She would be the 6th Indian to achieve this feat bringing the crown back to India after 12 years if she emerges victorious. Priyanka Chopra was crowned the last Miss World India in 2000.

(AW- Anil)