2000

Miss Universe Lara Dutta (centre) shares a light moment at a lunch hosted in her honour by designer Ritu Kumar in New Delhi on Friday, July 21, 2000. Ritu Kumar designed Lara's outfits for the Miss Universe beauty pageant. (TOI photo)

Miss Universe Lara Dutta gives a wide smile as she arrives at the Delhi airport in New Delhi on Thursday, July 20, 2000. (TOI photo)

THE WORLD AT HER FEET: Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta arrives in a palanquin at a party hosted in her honour in New Delhi on Thursday, July 20, 2000. (TOI photo)

MEETINGS THAT MATTER: Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta with Congress President Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi when the beauty queen called on her on Friday, July 21, 2000. (PTI photo)

Miss Universe Lara Dutta with her parents and sister after arrival at Bangalore airport on Saturday, July 22, 2000. This is her first visit to her hometown after being crowned in May this year. (PTI photo)

Miss Universe Lara Dutta waves as she passes through the Brigade Road on a motorcade in Bangalore on Sunday, July 23, 2000. Lara was on her maiden visit to Bangalore, her hometown, after being crowned in May. (PTI photo)

GLOBAL CITIZEN: Miss Universe 2000, Lara Dutta from India, posts next to her poster after the media conference at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, November 23, 2000. Lara arrived in Malaysia after travelling from New York for a four-day visit. Her part of the visit is to raise funds for children's home which given assistance to abused, neglected and abandoned. (AP Photo)

Miss Universe Lara Dutta in an aqua blue-and-silver Lehenga choli, with the dupatta draped sexily across her waist, an ensemble created for her by designer Ritu Kumar. (TOI photo/Shiv Sharan)

STANDING TALL: Lara Dutta in another one of the creations.

Miss Universe Lara Dutta is elegant in a pure silk black biege halter creation by designer Ritu Kumar. (Photo: courtesy Shiv Sharan)

BEAUTIFUL IN BLACK: Lara Dutta, Miss Universe and Femina Miss India, sits pretty in a sheer black net saree designed by Ritu Kumar for the Miss Universe pageant. (Photo: courtesy Shiv Saran)

India's pride Lara Dutta strikes a pose in a creation, designed by Ritu Kumar, that won her the first runner-up award for national costume.

Miss Universe Lara Dutta greets her fans on her arrival in Mumbai early Monday morning. (PTI photo)

Miss Universe Lara Dutta displaying one of the outfits of Delhi designers Sona and Mona, who were specially flown to Dubai for the show there. The show, in aid of the Al Noor Centre for children with special needs, was Lara’s first show for any Indian designer since she won the title. Lara stole the show with her poise, beauty and charm. The clothes showcased that evening were a beautiful mix of traditional Indian designs, motifs, fabrics and cuts. (TOI photo)

Miss Universe Lara Dutta at a press conference in Mumbai on Monday. (PTI photo)

LARA THE COMPASSIONATE: Lara the beauty queen, Lara the caring human being. Miss Universe Lara Dutta showed that she was all of that when she took to the ramp for a charity show recently at Dubai’s Le Meridien. The show, which displayed creations of Indian designers Sona and Mona, was organised in aid of the Al Noor Centre for children with special needs. (TOI photo)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh presents a memento to Miss Universe Lara Dutta at a function organised by Maharashtra State AIDS Control Society in Mumbai on Tuesday, July 18, 2000. Lara Dutta made an appeal for fighting AIDS. (PTI photo)

President K.R.Narayanan with Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday, July 20, 2000. (PTI photo)

President K.R.Narayanan receives a bouquet from Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday, July 20, 2000. (PTI photo)

A HELPING HAND: Miss Universe Lara Dutta lends a helping hand to the Maharashtra government's AIDS control programme at a function organised by the state's AIDS Control Society in Mumbai on Tuesday, July 18, 2000. Femina Miss India Lara Dutta was the chief speaker at the function. (PTI photo)

LARA IS BACK: Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, July 20, 2000. (TOI photo/Neeraj Paul)

MISS AMBASSADOR: A file photo of Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta, who was appointed the goodwill ambassador for the UN Population Fund to campaign against HIV/AIDS and for women's access to reproductive health.