Manushi Chhillar Shares New Swimsuit Photo From the Maldives

Indian model Manushi Chhillar is having the time of her life on vacation in the beautiful Maldives. Chhillar, 26, shared pictures of herself wearing a lime-green swimsuit while paddleboarding on the ocean (or at least, enjoying the ocean while someone else did the work). “Passenger Princess,” she jokingly captioned the Instagram post. Chhillar’s work and career have gone from strength to strength since winning Miss World in 2017—here’s how she does it.

1. Miss World 2017

Chhillar won Miss World in 2017, and the event that changed her life. “It opened my eyes to the fact that we are all our own kind of beautiful,” she says. “We are embracing a notion of inclusivity and moving forward with how beauty doesn't have to fit into a box or conform to society's standards… My definition of beauty is taking care of yourself and being confident in who you are. My perception of beauty has always been that people who are unapologetically themselves are beautiful.”

2. Fitness and Beauty

Chhillar knows how important fitness is for both looks and health. “Fitness and beauty obviously go hand in hand,” she says. “Fitness is self-care and people who take of themselves and invest in their health whether it’s a lifestyle, physical fitness, nutrition or mental health are truly on the path to holistic beauty. I think any form of exercise; especially yoga is great for your skin and hair. It helps increase blood flow, regulates circulation and releases good hormones. Being healthy on the inside will ensure you’re beautiful on the outside too!”

3. Beauty Pageant Experience

Chhillar has no regrets about her beauty pageant experience. “There has always been a debate about whether beauty pageants should exist,” she says. “At the end of the day, we should not take them as seriously. I was just a student and today, I am getting to chase opportunities I didn’t even think were a possibility. For me, it has been an opportunity, a platform. The whole experience of working, competing, the kind of women you meet and the kind of exposure that you get, it changes you. You grow, you learn so much.”

4. Supportive Family

Chhillar comes from a daily of doctors who were very supportive of her dreams. “I think they have encouraged me the most,” she says. “I remember telling my mom I have to audition to apply for the pageant and she was like, ‘Oh my god, we need to find you a dress, find you a nice pair of heels to do this’. They’ve been my biggest cheerleaders. And the fact that I’ve been able to do all this is actually because they’ve been there. Even when I decided to let go of college and pursue a career in acting, they were supportive and gave me reassurance.”

5. Skincare Secret

Chhillar believes in a holistic approach to health and beauty. “I don’t think this is a secret, but my number one mantra is having a good lifestyle and that includes a balanced routine of healthy food and exercise coupled with de-stressing activities to ensure I’m taking care of my mental and emotional health – all this culminates into giving me good skin,” she says. “Good skincare is important because that becomes the base on which you apply makeup. If your skin is inherently good – makeup always looks better.”