Udisha
First Miss India at Miss Universe
Indrani Rahman was the first Miss India to represent India at the Miss Universe pageant at age 22 in 1952. That year also marked the first edition of the coveted pageant and was held in Long Beach, California. She was even the country's first ever Miss India.
A serious classical dancer
Indrani was a skilled Indian classical dancer and had training in multiple Indian dance-forms such as Kathakali, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and most prominently, Odissi. She was greatly inspired by her American born mother, Ragini Devi who was extremely passionate about the Indian arts.
A married mother of two
While she was competing at Miss Universe, Indrani was a married woman with two kids. Her husband was a respected architect, named Habib Rahman. Her iconic picture wearing a swimsuit along with a bindi and flowers, drew criticism especially because of her marital status. However, she carried on against all odds.
International fame to Indian classical dance
Indrani played a huge role in taking Indian dance to global platform. She performed for several world leaders such as Mao Zedong and Queen Elizabeth II. She even perfoemed in front of US President John F. Kennedy and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru when the Indian Prime Minister made his official visit to Washington DC.
A clear "no" to the film industry
Indrani Rahman was the first dancer ever to be a member of the Asia Society tour in 1961. She even joined the esteemed Juilliard School in New York as a faculty member. She prioritised her career as a classical dancer, consistently denying the offers made by the Hindi Film Industry.