It was the year 1994 when India and the world were dazzled with the beauty of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. After being crowned the runner-up in the Miss India pageant that was won by Sushmita Sen she went on to clinch the Miss World crown. It might have been just another beauty pageant for many but it was the first step for Aishwarya towards global domination before Priyanka Chopra (another Miss World) came along.
Aishwarya wasn’t just another pretty face; she was the epitome of beauty, grace, elegance, and intelligence. Even after 24 years of her winning the crown, she is still the most popular and well known Miss World ever. In fact, during the Miss World 2014 award ceremony, Aishwarya was presented with a special Lifetime Beauty with a Purpose award for her charitable work. She was also selected as the Most Beautiful Miss World of All Times for the second time in 2010 by Global Beauties Magazine as well as Most Successful Miss World of All Times.
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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan crowned as Miss World 1994[/caption]
Aishwarya who is celebrating her 45th birthday today has proved that she lives life on her own terms and conditions and has proved a force to be reckoned with in the industry even after two decades. Whether it was her maternity break, her sabbatical, her weight issues or her comeback, she has managed to shut down her detractors and come back stronger every time.
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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan[/caption]
After Amitabh Bachchan, it was Aishwarya who made it to the prestigious Madame Tussauds with her wax statue, a feat which was not so common previously. She managed to make a foray into Hollywood and did some plump projects like The Pink Panther 2 starring Steve Martin, The Mistress of Spices, Bride and Prejudice, Provoked and The Last Legion.
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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan with her wax statue at Madame Tussauds[/caption]
In 2001, Forbes named her in the top five Indian film stars category and a reader poll conducted by UK’s Hello magazine she was voted "the most attractive woman of 2003". In 2004 Aishwarya was chosen by the TIME magazine as one of the world's most influential people, and appeared on the cover of its 2003 Asia edition. Aishwarya also became the first actress to be a member at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2003. She has been walking the red carpet at Cannes ever since.
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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on the cover of TIME Magazine[/caption]
Aishwarya was awarded the second-highest Order of France, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, in 2012 which is a remarkable feat. In 2012, she was appointed as the new international Goodwill Ambassador for UNAIDS, the joint United Nations programme on AIDS and HIV. Aishwarya has also been awarded the Padma Shri in 2009 and in 2018 she was honoured with First Ladies Award by President of India. She was recognized as the First Lady who had created a history by being the first actor to be recognized as a Global Icon from India and the first Indian actor to be a jury member at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at Cannes[/caption]
It is not only through the awards and polls that Aishwarya managed to create an impact on the world. She appeared on the very popular The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2009 and followed it up by appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman. She is the first Indian celebrity to have appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show twice. Aishwarya is also probably the first actress who became brand ambassadors to International brands like Loreal and Longines.
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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, ABhishek Bachchan and Oprah Winfrey[/caption]
Aishwarya like her name truly personifies glory and fame. She is truly the flag bearer and the first Bollywood celebrity that made the entire world take notice of her and bow down at her feet. Beauty queens may come and go, but Aishwarya will stay on forever.
