Miss world is all about the Chill!

Born to a family of doctors in Rohtak in Haryana, the medical aspirant studied at St Thomas School in Delhi. She was crowned and Indians all around the globe were in celebration mode. Speaking to a leading TV channel from India, Miss World 2017, Manushi Chhillar expressed that her growing up years in Delhi and her school life played an important role in gaining the confidence that was required for a beauty pageant. Her father, Dr Mitrabasu Chhillar, is an endocrinologist at the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), Delhi, and mother, Dr Neelam Chhillar, is a doctor at the Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi.

The win comes 17 years after Priyanka Chopra won the Miss World crown in the year 2000.

Months ago, the 20-year-old was attending a medical college–Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women in Sonipat. “I was always focused on my studies and wanted to be a doctor, but I would also dream to be at a beauty pageant at least once in life,” she is reported to have said.

The day she first found out about the Miss India auditions, her life changed considerably. Juggling between studies, workout sessions and preparations for the pageant was no easy task. Chhillar would wake up long before the other students in her hostel and use the time to work out. She would attend classes after that. She would again work out after classes, and study till late night.

Her crowing came with compliments  and some tongue in cheek remarks too.  She said she was not upset that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor referred to her as “chillar”, which means small change. A girl who has just won the world isn’t going to be upset over a tongue-in-cheek remark. ‘Chillar’ talk is just small change – let’s not forget the ‘chill’ within Chhillar,” Manushi tweeted, and tagged Tharoor as well as Times Group Managing Director Vineet Jain. After her victory,  Tharoor had  tweeted: “What a mistake to demonetise our currency! BJP should have realised that Indian cash dominates the globe: look, even our Chhillar has become Miss World!” Chhillar in Hindi wins currency of smaller denominaton. This post didn’t go down too well with some social media users who pointed out there is a difference between Manushi’s surname “Chhillar” and the word “Chillar” – in spelling and meaning. Later,  Tharoor took to his social media pages and asked people to chill.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan and celebrities who have roots in Haryana have congratulated India’s Manushi Chhillar for making the country proud.  “Congratulations Manushi Chhillar! India is proud of your accomplishment,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.  Amitabh Bachchan wrote: “A Miss World in our world! Pride and felicitations. We are proud and happy that she has put India’s flag on the global map. Manushi Chhillar, congratulations!”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavisa said: “We are proud of you.”