As LIVA Miss Diva Universe 2022, Divita Rai will represent India at the Miss Universe pageant soon. The reigning Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu, wishes her all the luck and hopes that she brings home the crown once again. We caught up with the two recently, where Harnaaz opened up about her journey, while Divita gave a glimpse into her preparation to represent India on a global stage. Read on…
Harnaaz, you made India proud by bringing home the Miss Universe crown after 21 years. Now, Divita is set to participate in the pageant. What would you tell her as she prepares to represent India?
Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu: I think she is a beautiful person. She is confident and knows her job. It is her journey, and she should live it the way she wants to. I feel nostalgic, as just a year ago, I was doing this very thing. This platform is about supporting each other, after all, it is all about women’s empowerment. It is her time to conquer her goals and I will always be there for her whenever she needs me. I look forward to meeting her at the Miss Universe pageant (smiles).
Divita, how does it feel to be LIVA Miss Diva Universe 2022 and get a chance to represent India at the Miss Universe pageant?Divita Rai: I always dreamt and imagined being here, but the journey was pretty hard. I began my journey at a young age. Every year, I went through auditions, faced rejections and handled disappointments. But, I always learnt something new about myself and my capabilities that I wasn’t aware of. What is important is that I refused to give up. I have always believed that you have just one life, and your dreams are precious. If you give up, then what is life? I would wake up every day with the same dream despite all the rejections. Also, I feel blessed to have supportive parents who stood by me. I think the biggest gift parents can give their children is to show belief in their kids. So today, I really celebrate the title that has been conferred upon me. And I am prepping up harder for the future.
What are the inputs you got from Harnaaz?
Divita: Harnaaz’s journey has been very inspiring. The pressure will always be there, and it is important that during such times you centre yourself. You need to tell yourself that you are here for a reason, for a purpose, and you have to focus on your goal. I am here for a reason, and I am going to do my best… nothing else matters. That’s great advice Harnaaz has given me for my journey.
Harnaaz: I think she doesn’t need any tips or inputs. I have a lot of faith in her. The only advice I gave her was to stay just the way you are. The journey will lead to a transformation, and one will evolve. You need to trust that process and enjoy the journey. Also, don’t let social media noise disturb you or your mental space. I don’t want to burden her with too many inputs. I just want to tell her to make her own decisions, pay heed to her sixth sense and go by her gut feeling.
Divita and Harnaaz, the two of you have one thing in common - your love for sports. How did playing sports help shape your personality over the years?Divita: I took up sports by default. Since I was tall, I was pushed into playing basketball. Playing sports teaches you discipline. You know you can’t perfect that moment unless you practise it consistently. These habits of consistency, discipline and team spirit are the values that are inculcated in you through sports.
Harnaaz: I have been the captain of my hockey team. Being a part of the pageant and participating in sports are quite similar. It’s just that we are trained in different ways, but in the end, it is all about representation. We represent our country, and our goal is to make our country proud.
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