India's Harnaaz Sandhu is crowned Miss Universe 2021

In a speech on stage through the pageant, Sandhu urged younger individuals to "know that you're distinctive and that is what makes you stunning, cease evaluating your self to others."I believed in myself, and that's why I'm standing here today," she added, to loud applause from the viewers. The pageant was held within the resort metropolis of Eilat, with 80 girls from all over the world competing for the crown. Sunday night time was the final day of the competitors, with eliminations narrowing down the variety of finalists till the final two remained.Nadia Ferreira of Paraguay and Lalela Mswane of South Africa had been the primary and second runners-up, respectively. The competitors was hosted by comic Steve Harvey, who at one level within the night time requested Sandhu, "I hear you do some pretty good animal impersonations, let's hear your best one."Harvey was later criticized online for singling her out with what many have steered was an inappropriate query."Oh my god, Steve, I was not expecting to do this on the world stage. I have to do this, I have no other option. Brace yourselves, everyone," she mentioned trying shocked, earlier than demonstrating just a few meows. At a later Q&A session, when Sandhu had reached the highest 5, she took the chance to unfold a message on local weather change. "This is the time to take action and talk less," she mentioned. "Prevent and protect is better than repent and repair."After her win was introduced, she celebrated with different contestants on stage, shouting to a digicam, "Chak de Phatte India," a Punjabi exclamation comparable in that means to "Let's do this, India!"This yr's competitors marks the second Covid-era Miss Universe pageant. Israel's borders had been set to open to vaccinated vacationers forward of the primary occasion this yr, which might have allowed 1000's of followers to attend.But with the emergence of the brand new Omicron variant, the Israeli authorities shut its borders to foreigners two weeks earlier than the competitors, throwing journey plans and preparations into chaos. One contestant, Miss France, examined constructive for the virus upon touchdown in Israel and needed to quarantine -- getting out simply in time for the preliminary competitors on Friday.The pageant was additionally wrapped in one other layer of political controversy, with some critics and international locations calling for boycotts -- as with earlier worldwide occasions hosted in Israel.The South African authorities withdrew its assist and referred to as on Mswane to drop out, citing Israeli therapy of Palestinians, calling it "apartheid," a cost Israel has vehemently denied. But Mswane -- with the backing of the Miss South Africa group -- selected to journey to Israel and compete.Other figures, together with Miss Israel, Noa Cochva, responded with a typical chorus heard from pageant organizers and contestants: Miss Universe shouldn't be about politics.Israel was one of many first international locations to start vaccinating its inhabitants and had reached a excessive vaccination fee by May this yr, when the nation was approached about internet hosting the December competitors, in accordance with a spokesperson from Israel's Ministry of Tourism.