That this dusky ambassador from India was a strong contender for the crown was apparent days before the Miss Universe pageant, with more and more people commenting on her winning combination of beauty and brains. And when she actually wore the crown on May 12, 2000 in the beautiful city of Cyprus, her triumph was best described as deserving. Lara Dutta describes her winning the Miss Universe title as being "a culmination of a dream."

Lara impressed the judges with her answer to the final question of the contest: "What would you say to those who condemn the contest as an affront to women ?" To which she replied, "Pageants like Miss Universe give us young women a platform to foray in the fields that we want to and forge ahead be it entrepreneurship, be it the armed forces, be it politics". And added, "It gives us a platform to voice our choices and opinions and it makes us strong and independent that we are today."

She was born in 1978, Ghaziabad, to Wg. Cdr. L.K. Dutta (retired) and Jennifer Dutta. In 1981, she moved to Bangalore with her parents, where she completed her schooling, and then shifted to Bombay where she obtained a degree in economics. She enjoys outdoor sports like rock climbing and bungee jumping. She is trained in Indian classical dance and loves to read autobiographies. Before winning the crown, Lara was a leading fashion and print model.

As the reigning Miss Universe, she will travel the world on behalf of the Miss Universe organisation, to promote their official cause of building AIDS/HIV awareness. A whirlwind of exciting events, philanthropic experiences and career-advancing opportunities, will follow her in the year ahead. And we hope that she forges a bond with the people she meets, with her grace and grit!

After finishing her reign as Miss Universe 2000, Lara hopes to pursue MBA in marketing and communications. She also has her eye on becoming a director of documentaries on wildlife and Indian culture. Here's wishing her success in all that she sets out to accomplish !

 
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