Manika Vishwakarma Was Asked Sushmita Sen's Iconic 1994 Miss Universe Question: Here's What She Said

At the Miss Universe stage in Thailand, Miss India Manika Vishwakarma has been quietly but steadily becoming one of the contestants to watch. While her wardrobe has already sparked social media buzz, it’s her poise during interviews that has truly set her apart. This edition of the pageant has been packed with challenging prompts and high-pressure moments, and Manika has been navigating all of it with a calm confidence that feels both refreshing and powerful.

The question: "What is the essence of being a woman?"

During a special "chain reaction question session" on November 16, the Miss India winner was given a moment that instantly transported audiences back three decades. The interviewer referenced one of the most unforgettable questions in pageant history, the one posed to Sushmita Sen moments before she was crowned Miss Universe in 1994. It wasn’t just a nostalgia hit; it was a test of how today’s Miss Universe India would interpret a question that has lived on for generations.

What was Manika's answer?

Before diving into her own perspective, Manika gracefully acknowledged the legacy attached to the question. She recalled Sushmita Sen's historic response, saying, "When an 18-year-old girl in the Philippines answered this question in 1994, stating, 'What is the essence of being a woman?' She stated it very simply: Being a woman is about the ability to nurture a life, to nurture every single thing around you." It was a thoughtful nod to one of India's proudest pageant milestones.

Check out the video below:

'Being a woman is being infinite, and that is the essence of being a woman.'

Manika then moved into her interpretation, making it clear that while times have changed, the truth in Sushmita’s words still resonates. She emphasised that she could not detach herself from that truth, choosing instead to expand on it through a modern lens. "I would just elaborate on it. As women, we are often seen by society in certain roles. However, I want women to see themselves as a person, as a human," she said.

Her answer deepened as she spoke about the multifaceted nature of womanhood: "Yes, we have the ability to nurture. Yes, we have the ability to create life, and not just create life, but actually beautify every single thing around us. That is the essence of being a woman: the ability to not just beautify but embrace and amplify the beauty of every single thing around us. Being a woman is being infinite, and that is the essence of being a woman."