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