Even before bagging the coveted pageant — beating contestants from 79 countries — Sandhu took to Instagram and stated that her faith and her family already makes her feel like a winner.

I have faith in God, my family and the blessings you all have showered on me. I have enjoyed my journey and as we near the end of this beautiful pageant, I want to re live memories with my family, my Punjab.  

-Harnaaz Sandhu

In her last post, Harnaaz expressed that she is grateful for each and every one in her life and the experiences she had throughout the journey that made her reach the finale.

Ahead of the pageant finale, the now Miss Universe Harnaaz Sandhu, also gave a shout-out to her mother and brother on her Instagram story. “My strength, my lifelines,” she wrote.  

Harnaaz Sandhu, who was born and raised in Punjab, began participating in pageantry at a young age of 17. She already has titles such as Miss Chandigarh 2017 and Miss Max Emerging Star India 2018 to her credit. The 21-year-old is currently pursuing her Masters’ degree in Public Administration.