Asian queens who have won Miss Universe crown from inception till now

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Akiko Kojima Miss Universe 1959

Akiko Kojima represented Japan at Miss Universe 1959 on 24th July 1959 at Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States. She was the first Japanese and Asian woman to win the title of Miss Universe. Akiko worked as a professional model in Tokyo after her Miss Universe 1959 reign for a while. She said that she really wanted a simple life. ‘To be a lovely wife and to raise a big family.’

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Apasra Hongsakula Miss Universe 1965

Apasra Hongsakula represented Thailand at Miss Universe 1965 on 24th July 1965 at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, United States. She is the daughter of Group Captain Perm and Kayoon Hongsakula. She was the first woman from Thailand to win the Miss Universe crown. She got some advice from Queen Sirikit about how to strike a pose and how to walk in the pageant before she went to Miami. Apasra was presented a new crown by Miss Universe Organization and was crowned again at a private function by Miss Universe 1991 Lupita Jones of Mexico in 1992 when Thailand hosted the 1992 Miss Universe pageant. She served as a judge of Miss Universe Thailand pageant and is responsible to send Thailand’s representative at Miss Universe pageant.

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Gloria Diaz Miss Universe 1969

Gloria Diaz represented the Philippines at Miss Universe 1969 19th July 1969 at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, United States. Gloria became the first Filipina beauty to win the title of Miss Universe. Gloria is a Filipino multi-awarded actress of film and television, model. She was asked by a pageant aficionado to participate in Binibining Pilipinas 1969 and because of her captivating looks and witty attitude she was crowned Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1969 at the age of 18. During her reign, Díaz travelled through several countries to promote the advocacies supported by the Miss Universe Organization as well as appeared in many public and television events in the United States. Her final question and answer round regarding ‘men in the moon’ charmed the audience and the judges. She started working as an actress after her reign and is now one of the successful actresses in Philippines.

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Georgina Rizk Miss Universe 1971

Georgina Rizk represented the country of Lebanon at Miss Universe 1971 on 24th July 1971 at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, United States. Georgina became the first Lebanese and West Asian woman to win the title. She is a Lebanese model, socialite and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Lebanon 1970 and represented the country at Miss World 1970 but unfortunately wasn’t placed. She later won the title or Miss Universe 1971. In the pageant, she made a memorable fashion statement by wearing a very revealing top and hot pants. She is a judge for the Miss Lebanon competitions. Georgina, nevertheless, has etched her name in the country’s history with her accomplishments in the pageant world.

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Margarita Moran Miss Universe 1973

Margarita Moran represented the Philippines at Miss Universe 1973 on 21st July 1973 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece and was crowned as the winner at the end of the event finale. She is a Filipino peace advocate, President of Ballet Philippines, and Chair of the Cultural Centre of the Philippines. Moran is notable for her social and civic works especially for promoting peace and livelihood as part of the Mindanao Commission on Women Organization and recently as an ambassador-trustee of Habitat for Humanity Philippines. Her passion and experience as a dancer at the age of 18, prompt her to promote arts and culture with Southern Philippines Foundation for the Arts, Culture and Ecology. She now runs the over-all operations of Ballet Philippines.

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Rina Messinger Miss Universe 1976

Rina Messinger represented the country of Israel at Miss Universe 1976 on 11th July 1976 at the Lee Theatre in Hong Kong and was crowned as the winner at the end of the event finale. She is an Israeli lawyer, writer, and the first Miss Israel ever to win the crown. Upon her proclamation as the winner, she remarked, "I'm no politician. I think my being Miss Universe will show people that Israel has another side, not only war." After her reign as Miss Universe, Messinger worked in public relations for the Jewish Agency and Israel Bonds in New York. After four years she returned to Israel and continued working in public relations for a private company. She started studying Law in 1991 and s currently a lawyer at Tel Aviv.

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Porntip Nakhirunkanok Miss Universe 1988

Porntip Nakhirunkanok represented the country of Thailand at Miss Universe 1988 on 24th May 1988. The coronation ceremony was sponsored by Formosa Airlines at the Lin Kou Stadium in Taipei, Taiwan. Porntip was crowned as the winner at the end of the event finale who is a Thai personality and philanthropist. She has gone on to address the United Nations, as Thailand's Goodwill Ambassador, where she spoke on behalf of the Rights of the Child bill. Her philanthropic work has built schools, fed undernourished children and provided housing for the needy. In recognition of Bui's various contributions and accomplishments, she was presented with a Royal Medal of Honour from the King of Thailand. This remains her most treasured memory.

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Sushmita Sen Miss Universe 1994

Sushmita Sen represented India at Miss Universe 1994 on 21st May 1994[a] at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay, Philippines. She was the first Indian woman to win the crown at the end of the event finale. Sushmita was 18-years-old when she won the title of Miss Universe 1994 and since then she has gone onto be a successful actress, model, and epitome of grace and womanhood. She worked in various Bollywood movies and is a feminist icon for most of the women across the globe who want to be strong, independent and determined towards achieving their goals. She adopted two daughters Renee and Alisah.

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Lara Dutta Miss Universe 2000

Lara Dutta represented India at Miss Universe 2000 on 12th May 2000 at the Eleftheria Indoor Hall in Nicosia, Cyprus. Lara was crowned as the winner at the end of the event finale. She is an Indian actress, entrepreneur who represented India at Miss Intercontinental 1997 and was crowned at the end of the event finale. Lara achieved the highest score in the swimsuit competition and her finalist interview score was the highest individual score in any category in the history of the Miss Universe contest. Dutta's win led to her appointment as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador in 2001. She later started working as an actress and recently served as the mentor at Miss Diva Universe 2020.

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Riyo Mori Miss Universe 2007

Riyo Mori represented Japan Miss Universe 2007 on 28th May 2007 at the National Auditorium in Mexico City, Mexico. She was crowned as the winner at the end of the event finale. She is a Japanese actress, dancer, model. In 2008, she and her mother opened a multicultural dance school, I.R.M Academy, where she currently serves as the artistic director. She has also continued with her charity work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Special Olympics and HIV/AIDS awareness, the official platform of the Miss Universe Organization.

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Pia Alonso Wurtzbach Miss Universe 2015

Pia Wurtzbach represented the Philippines at Miss Universe 2015 on 20th December 2015 at The AXIS in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. After 42 years, this is the third time the Philippines won Miss Universe, after Margarita Moran in 1973. At the end of the show, host Steve Harvey mistakenly announced Miss Colombia 2015 Ariadna Gutiérrez as the winner but returned to the stage and apologised for reading the results wrong and finally declared that it is Pia who has won. She continues her work with Miss Universe Organization as an HIV/AIDS awareness advocate. Pia has acted in several movies and is now an entrepreneur with her new business venture “BesTea Milk Tea”.

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Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray Miss Universe 2018

Catriona Gray represented the Philippines at Miss Universe 2018 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Philippines on 18th March 2018. She was crowned as the winner at the end of the event finale. Catriona represented the Philippines at Miss World 2016 where she was placed at Top 5 and won awards including Multimedia Award, Talent Awards and Beauty with a Purpose Project award. She later went and participated in Binibining Pilipinas 2018 and was crowned Binibining Pilipinas Universe 2018. In beauty pageant history, Gray is the most successful Asian pageant crossover by placing high in both biggest international beauty pageants, Miss World and Miss Universe competitions. She continues to build her own brand after she crowned her successor Zozibini Tunzi as Miss Universe 2019. Catriona launched her website that described her as, “a singer, titleholder, and charitable spokesperson from the Philippines.”

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Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu Miss Universe 2021

Miss Universe 2021, the 70th edition of Miss Universe pageant, was held at the Universe Dome in Eilat, Israel on 13th December 2021 where Harnaaz Sandhu of India was crowned the new queen by her predecessor Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza of Mexico. It was India's first victory in 21 years at Miss Universe and the third victory of the country in the pageant's history. Sandhu also became the first ever Sikh to win Miss Universe. Not just that, she is also the first contestant born in the 21st century to win in any of the Big Four international beauty pageants at 22 years of age. Harnaaz, through her reign, has also raised awareness about Menstrual Health across the globe. The Miss Universe Organization along with Sandhu has also launched a social impact alliance and a platform to assist tackle menstruation equality. Harnaaz also made her movie debut in a Punjabi film ‘Bai Ji Kuttange’.