Sikkimese beauty Zaanvii Sharma becomes first from the state to enter top 12 of Femina Miss India 2023

Zaanvii Sharma from the northeastern state of Sikkim has scripted history by being the first from the State to enter the top 12 at the grand finale of the Femina Miss India, 2023.

The 59th edition of India’s foremost prestigious pageant successfully orchestrated yet another season’s grand finale in a historic ceremony at the Indoor Stadium, Khuman Lampak, Imphal, Manipur, which played the perfect host to the mesmerizing event.

The gala event featured several rounds of mesmerizing fashion sequences that featured the appealing 30-state winners dressed in traditional costumes by Rock Star and Robert Naorem as well as a breathtaking collection by Namrata Joshipura for Trends.

Zaanvi, 20, is the daughter of Deepak Sharma and Anu Pradhan, Miss Sikkim 1999. She is now studying Theatre Studies, Physiology, and Literature at Christ University in Bangalore. She attended GD Goenka in Siliguri and Birla Balika Vidyarthi Pilani in Rajasthan.

Miss Sikkim 2023 Femina Zaanvii Sharma is a national swimmer who also plays zonal basketball. She was the first runner-up in Sikkim Glamour World's Miss Teen Sikkim 2021 pageant.

On the other hand, the grand finale ceremony held on April 15 was a star-studded affair and celebrated the ethos of beauty in diversity. The evening kickstarted with a breathtaking performance by the former winners of the pageant, Sini Shetty, Rubal Shekhawat, Shinata Chauhan, Manasa Varanasi, Manika Sheokand, Manya Singh, Suman Rao, and Shivani Jadhav - dressed in exquisite and finely crafted lehengas from Mohey. Moving onto the show, the audience was entertained by the highly anticipated performances by Bollywood's heartthrob Kartik Aaryan followed by the gorgeous Ananya Pandey. The evening's proceedings were led by the dynamic duo Manish Paul and Bhumi Pednaker who kept the audience engaged with their wits and improvisations. 

The gala event witnessed multiple rounds of captivating fashion sequences featuring the beautiful 30-state winners in a stunning collection by Namrata Joshipura for Trends, Rocky Star, and Robert Naorem showcasing traditional costumes. The state winners were judged by an elite panel consisting of Femina Miss India Universe 2002 & Mentor Neha Dhupia, boxing icon Laishram Sarita Devi, ace choreographer Terence Lewis, film director & writer Harshavardhan Kulkarni and distinguished designers Rocky Star and Namrata Joshipura. The state winners interacted with the jury panel and took to their questions with great confidence.