Shree Saini

American model
Shree Saini
Born (1996-01-06) January 6, 1996 (age 28)
Punjab, India
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Washington
OccupationModel
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
AwardsMiss India USA[1] (2017-2018)
Miss India Worldwide[2] (2018-2019)
Miss World America Washington 2019[3] (contestant)
Beauty pageant titleholder
TitleMiss World America 2020
Major
competition(s)
Miss World 2022 (1st runner-up
Websiteshreesaini.org

Shree Saini (born January 6, 1996) is an American model and beauty pageant titleholder. She represented the United States at Miss World 2022, reaching 1st runner-up and winning the Beauty with a Purpose National Ambassadorship.[4] Saini is the first Asian woman to represent the United States at Miss World.[5]

Early life and education

Shree Saini was born on January 6, 1996, in Punjab, India, and has lived in the United States since age 5.[6][7] She first dreamed of competing for the Miss World title at the age of 5.[8] For the first 12 years of her life, while growing up in Moses Lake, Washington,[9] Saini's heartbeat had an average of just 20 beats per minute.[10] Doctors told her she could never dance again but she persisted, and continued training in ballet.[11][12]

Later in life, Saini was involved in a major car crash in Moses Lake that resulted in her suffering from significant facial burns.[13][14] Saini was advised that her recovery would take a year, but she returned to her classes after just two weeks.[13]

Saini attended the University of Washington.[15] She is a trained ballerina, and has been accepted to train at the Joffrey Ballet.[16]

Pageantry

Saini, who was listed as both a resident of Seattle and Ellensburg, Washington, in 2020,[13][17][9] was the 2020 Miss Washington World and America's Beauty with a Purpose National Ambassador,[18] which is a preliminary competition to Miss World America. In October 2019, Saini collapsed at the Miss World America preliminary.[6]

In 2020, Saini was awarded the World Peace Messenger award from Passion Vista Magazine.[19] On October 2, 2021, Shree Saini was appointed Miss World America 2021,[18] and crowned by Diana Hayden, Miss World 1997. She is the first Indian-American and Asian-American woman to hold the Miss World America title.[20][5] Shree Saini represented the United States of America at Miss World 2021 in Puerto Rico.[21] In February 2022, the Washington state legislature passed a resolution recognizing Saini's philanthropic achievements and wishing her success at Miss World.[22]

Miss World 2021

Saini finished as the first runner up in the Miss World 2021 competition, where Karolina Bielawska of Poland was crowned as the winner.[4] She was also chosen as the 2021 Beauty with a Purpose Ambassador to travel with Bielawska during her reign.[23]

Philanthropy

Saini has volunteered with hundreds of nonprofits including the USO, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Make A Wish, UNICEF, Victoria's Voice Foundation, American Heart Association, Children's Right And YOU, Doctors Without Borders, Special Olympics, homeless shelters, and several Anti Human Trafficking nonprofits and she has raised more than $200,000 for dozens of 10 nonprofits, including $50,000 for Variety Children's Charity.[22][24]

References

  1. ^ "Shree Saini from USA crowned Miss India Worldwide 2018". The Pioneer.
  2. ^ "UW student Shree Saini wins Miss India Worldwide 2018". Northwest Asian Weekly. 7 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Indian-American model Shree Saini selected for Miss World America Pageant 2019". 3 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b @MissWorldLtd (March 17, 2022). "Our Miss World 2021 is Karolina Bielawska from Poland! #missworld" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. ^ a b Castro, Jenny (2023-06-20). "Gas pumps and pageants: Washington's resilient Miss World America Shree Saini". Seattle Refined. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  6. ^ a b "Indian American model Shree Saini collapses before Miss World America final night". Times Now.
  7. ^ "Indian American Student and Anti-bullying Activist Shree Saini Crowned 'Miss India Worldwide 2018'". Indiawest.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2018.
  8. ^ Castro, Jenny (2023-06-20). "Gas pumps and pageants: Washington's resilient Miss World America Shree Saini". Seattle Refined. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  9. ^ a b Jack Belcher (October 12, 2020). "Ellensburg resident seeking Miss World America title". Daily Record. Ellensburg, Washington.
  10. ^ "Powered by a pacemaker, Miss India USA seeks to dance her way to Miss India World". The Universal News Network. 25 July 2018. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Shree Saini from Washington has been crowned Miss India USA 2017". India Today.
  12. ^ "Indian-American Beauty Queen Shree Saini Raises Funds For Drug Awareness". Darpan Magazine.
  13. ^ a b c Ed Condran (November 23, 2020). "'I'm just grateful to be alive': Spokane and a pacemaker are in Miss World America Washington's heart". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  14. ^ "Miss India USA Shree Saini Collapses a Night Before Miss World America Finale, Mother Asks For Prayers". India.com. 15 October 2019.
  15. ^ Mendoza, Jefferson (2018-03-06). "UW student, Shree Saini, uses her role in pageants to impact and help others". International Examiner. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  16. ^ Dutt, Ela. "Indian-American small-town girl takes on bullying, inequality as Miss India Worldwide". News India Times.
  17. ^ Goggins, Shawn (October 14, 2020). "Local woman refuses to give up on dream to be crowned Miss World after 2019 health scare". iFIBER One News. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  18. ^ a b "Miss World America 2021 Crowned". official website. Miss World. 2021-11-25.
  19. ^ "Miss World America Washington Shree Saini gets World Peace Messenger award in Los Angels (sic) by Staff and other Articles Contributed by Indians Community in Portland Area". www.portlandindian.com. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  20. ^ "Shree Saini becomes first Indian-American to be crowned Miss World America". 4 October 2021.
  21. ^ Dutt, Ela (3 October 2021). "First Indian-American crowned Miss World America says "It's a win for our inclusive America" | News India Times". Retrieved 2021-10-30.
  22. ^ a b "SR 8643 - 2021-22". Washington State Legislature. February 22, 2022. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  23. ^ Saini, Shree (2022-03-24). "35 Beauty with a Purpose projects completed in USA by the National Ambassador". Miss World USA. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  24. ^ Castro, Jenny (2023-06-20). "Gas pumps and pageants: Washington's resilient Miss World America Shree Saini". Seattle Refined. Retrieved 2023-09-11.

External links

  • Official website
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
France Ophély Mézino
Miss World 1st Runner-Up
2021
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Brazil Elís Miele Coelho
Miss World Americas
2021
Succeeded by
Preceded by Miss World America
2021
Succeeded by
Victoria DiSorbo
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Miss World 2021 national titleholders
Miss World delegates of
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  • v
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Washington pageant winners
Miss Washington
Miss Washington USA
Miss Washington Teen USA
Miss Washington World
  • Shree Saini (2019)