Goa’s first Miss World

Any talk about Indian beauties who won the title of Miss World, and names like Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, and Manushi Chhillar spring to mind. However, decades before they came along, a young woman of Goan origin made history by placing India firmly on the global pageant map.

Reita Faria holds the distinction of being the first Indian to win the Miss World crown and the first titleholder to qualify as a medical doctor. Her roots trace back to Goa, with her father hailing from Tivim and her mother from Santa Cruz.

After winning the title of Eve's Weekly Miss India, she went on to be crowned Miss World in 1966. Offers from modelling houses and film studios soon followed. Yet, she turned down the allure of the glamour world to focus on her medical studies. She went on to complete her MBBS degree and eventually embarked on a career in medicine.