Amrita Thappar is Miss India

Mumbai, March 27
Dazzling beauty from Pune Amrita Thappar was declared Pond’s Femina Miss India-Universe at a glittering ceremony here tonight.

A post-graduate diploma holder in fashion designing, Amrita was crowned Miss India by last year’s winner Tanushree Dutta. The tiara was placed on her as the remaining 22 contestants applauded and congratulated her on the success.

Sindhura Gadde from Vijayawada, currently based in New Zealand, was adjudged the Pond’s Femina Miss India-World 2005, while Niharika Singh of Uttaranchal was named Pond’s Femina Miss India-Earth.

The three beauty ambassadors will represent the country in international pageants.

The panel of judges included actors Pooja Bedi, Suniel Shetty, Celina Jaitley, Kareena Kapoor, Olympic silver medalist Rajavardhan Rathore, writer Shoba De and industrialist Anand Mahiendra.

The audience at the show were entertained by Indian idol winner Abhijeet Sawant, model Yana Gupta and pop band Bombay Rockers.

Twenty-year-old Sindhura, who has spent half her time in New Zealand holds a double degree in pharmacology and physiology as well as a diploma in modelling.