Maira Chowdhury
BIO
School: Sevenoaks School
College: University of Oxford
Profession: Student/model
Interests: Development economics, law, singing, modelling, musical theatre
Favourite quote: 
Life is a daring adventure, or nothing at all by Helen Keller
Personal Pages / Profiles:
How would you describe your own personality?
Outgoing, fun-loving, hard-working, compassionate, big thinker.
Who is the most influential person in your life?
On a proximate level, my mum.
What is the craziest rumour you have heard about yourself?
That I’m a spy, or come from a family of spies (prompted by the fact that we have lived in many countries).
What has been your biggest achievement before Miss India?
At Oxford during finals, I won the John Hicks Foundation Prize for topping Quantitative Economics.
Rate in order of priority the three qualities that every woman must possess...
The willingness to learn and grow without changing who she really is, Compassion for those around her and Respect for herself and her body.
Rate in order of personal preference, the three qualities that you admire in a man...
Compassion for others, and the willingness to share thoughts and emotions, intellect and ambition.
If you were to give one bit of advice to the youth today, what would it be?
Fear is a manipulative emotion that prevents us from leading full lives (Adapted from Donald Miller).
If god will grant you one wish, what would you ask for?
To be happy in whatever I choose to do, and to spread that joy to those around me.
What is your edge over the other contestants?
A Miss India needs to be hardworking, focussed, well-spoken, and compassionate amongst several other traits. She needs to fulfil all of these things to the maximum extent possible, and in this sense be an all-rounder. I think my biggest strength is in my all-roundedness as a candidate.
Who do you think is the sexiest man alive today?
That’s hard to answer given that a person’s personality is paramount to their attractiveness, and this can really be gauged when you meet them. But based purely on looks, I would say Matt Bomer.
The last movie that made you cry...
Neerja.
Fav actor?
Aamir Khan.
Biggest fear?
Getting to the end of life feeling like I had more to give, or that I had never really lived.
Love is...
what makes life worth living.
Outgoing, fun-loving, hard-working, compassionate, big thinker.
Who is the most influential person in your life?
On a proximate level, my mum.
What is the craziest rumour you have heard about yourself?
That I’m a spy, or come from a family of spies (prompted by the fact that we have lived in many countries).
What has been your biggest achievement before Miss India?
At Oxford during finals, I won the John Hicks Foundation Prize for topping Quantitative Economics.
Rate in order of priority the three qualities that every woman must possess...
The willingness to learn and grow without changing who she really is, Compassion for those around her and Respect for herself and her body.
Rate in order of personal preference, the three qualities that you admire in a man...
Compassion for others, and the willingness to share thoughts and emotions, intellect and ambition.
If you were to give one bit of advice to the youth today, what would it be?
Fear is a manipulative emotion that prevents us from leading full lives (Adapted from Donald Miller).
If god will grant you one wish, what would you ask for?
To be happy in whatever I choose to do, and to spread that joy to those around me.
What is your edge over the other contestants?
A Miss India needs to be hardworking, focussed, well-spoken, and compassionate amongst several other traits. She needs to fulfil all of these things to the maximum extent possible, and in this sense be an all-rounder. I think my biggest strength is in my all-roundedness as a candidate.
Who do you think is the sexiest man alive today?
That’s hard to answer given that a person’s personality is paramount to their attractiveness, and this can really be gauged when you meet them. But based purely on looks, I would say Matt Bomer.
The last movie that made you cry...
Neerja.
Fav actor?
Aamir Khan.
Biggest fear?
Getting to the end of life feeling like I had more to give, or that I had never really lived.
Love is...
what makes life worth living.
