Miss Universe 2023: Who is Divita Rai? Know all about India's representative in beauty pageant

Divita Rai is all set to contest with 85 other women for the coveted title of Miss Universe. The grand finale of the 71st edition of Miss Universe is scheduled to take place in New Orleans. She won the title of Miss Diva Universe 2022 on August 28, 2022 and was crowned by Harnaaz Sandhu, the Miss Universe 2021. Know all about her.

Divita Rai, who will represent India at the upcoming 71st Miss Universe competition, is only 25 years old. The model will face off against 85 other competitors from different nations in an effort to claim the renowned title.

The Miss Universe competition will be held in the American city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and the current Miss Universe, Harnaaz Sandhu, who will make way for her successor, will crown the winner.

Divita, who was up in Mangaluru, Karnataka, had an ambition of becoming Miss India. When her grandma was a little girl, she loved to dress up in the crown and sash. She received her degree from Mumbai's renowned Sir JJ College of Architecture. After that, she also experimented with set design. However, she was always fixated on the coveted beauty contest.

She reached the top three spots for Miss Diva 2021, but lost the crown to the winner Harnaaz Sandhu (who went on to become Miss Universe). At Miss Diva 2021 competition, Rai won the titles of Miss IQ, Miss Lifestyle, and Miss Sudoku.

She indulges in her favourite sports, badminton and basketball, to keep active.

The Miss Universe ceremony will take place on the morning of January 15 (Indian Standard Time).  Additionally, Divita is now in the US taking part in the competition's preliminary rounds. On her Instagram, fans have been able to get peeks of this. She dazzled the audience with a blingy golden lehenga for the National Costume round that was also adorned with ornate wings.

The 2023 Miss Universe pageant will begin on January 15 at 6:30 am IST or on January 14 at 8 pm (ET). Indian fans may see the live broadcast on Voot, as well as on the official Facebook and YouTube accounts for the JKN18 channel.