Sushmita Sen: An underdog can win

There may be crowd favorites, speculations on who may be declared a winner in the upcoming Miss Universe beauty pageant but all of that will fade on coronation night, says 1994 Miss Universe Sushmita Sen.

The former beauty queen, the first Indian woman to win the crown, is in town as a judge for the 65th Miss Universe beauty pageant.

"I'm looking forward life full circle. from being a participant, to a winner, and now a judge," she told GMA News' Jessica Soho on State of the Nation on Friday.

When asked on her opinion on the candidates, if she is eyeing a particular contestant in the prestigious international competition, Sushmita Sen said she has seen all the candidates on social media.

She added that she has also reviewed the biography of each contestant provided by the Miss Universe organization.

"But to be honest with you, ultimately that stage. That night, that's it. Everything else comes to that one moment, which is the actual winning moment at the Miss Universe stage," the beauty queen answered.

"Nothing else matters, no speculation matters. I'm living proof of that. Never was a hard favorite. But hey, an underdog can win," she added.

Sen also underscored during the interview, the bond that she has made with Filipinos that she has maintained even after she was crowned Miss Universe by Dayanara Torres at the Philippine International Convention Center.

She recalled the question judges asked of her, "What is the essence of being a woman."

"Every single Filipino for that entire generation has made me feel like there was Gloria Diaz, Margarita Moran, Sushmita Sen, and then Pia (Wurtzbach). I feel like I won Miss Universe somehow that night from both countries," she said.

"That's how you have made me feel in the Philippines. How does that feel to be loved that much? Oh, you have to be me to live it. You would have to be Sushmita Sen to be able to experience what it's meant to me. Tagalog or not Hindi or not, love has no language. And I have felt every moment of it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart Philippines for that," she added.

The 65th Miss Universe pageant coronation day airs live on January 30 at 8 a.m. on GMA 7 or log on to www.gmanews.tv  — BAP, GMA News