Miss World 1997

 Miss World 1997

Miss World 1997, the 47th Miss World pageant was held at the Baie Lazare, Seychelles on November 22, 1997. 86 delegates delegates competed for the coveted crown. At the end of the event, India's Diana Hayden came out victorious. Richard Steinmetz hosted the pageant, while Latin sensation Ricky Martin provided entertainment. Hayden went on to win the Miss World 1997 pageant at the age of 24 crowned by Miss World 1996 Irene Skliva.

Diana Hayden - India
Hayden is of Anglo-Indian descent. As a teenager, she was a tomboy, tall and gangly. She went to St.Anns High School, Secunderabad but dropped out in the 8th standard to take family responsibilities. She continued her studies through open schooling and correspondence and graduated from Osmania University in English. Before modeling, she used to work for an Event management company called Encore. She then worked as a Public relations officer at BMG Crescendo where she managed careers for models Anaida and Mehnaz. After Anaida's recommendation, she filled in for the Miss India contest. After winning Miss India she proceeded to win the coveted Miss World title. Hayden came into limelight at the 1997 Miss World pageant. She became a celebrity at 24 after winning the crown. Hayden became the third Indian woman to win the Miss World pageant. Like Aishwarya Rai, she entered Bollywood acting career in the Indian film industry and internationally. She became the third Miss World from India after Reita Faria and Aishwarya Rai. After trying to make a mark in Bollywood, Hayden moved to Los Angeles, California and devoted herself to social causes. In 2008, Diana Hayden became a wild card entry on the popular Indian show, Bigg Boss, which is based on the original UK show, Big Brother. She was voted out from Bigg Boss 2 house on the episode that aired on Nov 7th 2008. Following her tenure as the global representative for the prestigious Miss World organization, Hayden moved to the UK and studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. She also studied at Drama Studio London, where she concentrated on the works of Shakespeare and earned a Best Actress nomination from the studio. In 2001, she made her screen debut in the film version of Shakespeare’s Othello in South Africa. In 2005, the History Channel did a three-month series, Biography with Diana Hayden. In addition to featuring prominent world leaders, Hollywood actors and sports champions, the series also included special monthly interviews with Indian celebrities. The engagement, which marked the first time the History Channel had signed an Indian host for one of its shows, was rated one of the most successful educational television programs of the year. In 2006, Diana was signed by the Avalon Aviation Academy as the face of the Academy and currently serves as a celebrity guest lecturer for airline personnel training programs. In 2008 she was a contestant in reality Big Boss 2.