Puja Gupta Age: 23 Height: 5'7 Hair Colour: Brown Eye Colour: Brown  What are your interests and what do you enjoy doing the most? I love writing, practicing yoga, horseback riding, and spending time with loved ones and friends.  What is your career ambition? My career ambition is to be a successful communicator. Someone who can positively affect others through written or spoken mediums. Someone who solves problems and contributes towards social development.  Describe where you were raised and what your childhood was like. I was born and brought up in New Delhi, India. Being the youngest one in my family and the apple of my father's eye, I led a very protected life because of the huge age difference between me and my siblings; I was the fortunate pampered child. My father passed away when I was sixteen years old. My mother was devastated by my father's loss and that's when I learned how to be independent and I learnt how to not only look after me but also my mother.

Puja's all geared up for the contest, when she will walk down the ramp in a Hemant Trevedi outfit. "It's a gorgeous dress with some lovely metal-work on it and a long trail," she gushes. "In the final round, we're getting to wear the outfits of our choice, the ones we got from home. Otherwise, we often had to wear what they gave us." Ever since Puja landed in Mexico City for the Miss Universe contest, life's been "full of wonderful activities from the word go." 

She's made some wonderful friends for life. "All the other contestants, specially Miss Czech and Miss Indonesia, are beautiful people. We have such long discussions about ourselves and our respective countries. Even the judges have made us so comfortable here. They told me that India is one country famous for its beauty, that's why so many winners come from there. And yes, they know about our movies and Amitabh Bachchan," smiles Puja. 

Of course, while all her attention is focused on the main event this evening, Puja looks at the various sub-contests as "learning experiences. They've helped prepare us for the final round. And with each contestant so beautiful in her own special way, choosing the winner is going to be tough." Talking about herself, she says, "Wearing the Miss India crown had been a childhood dream of mine, right from the time I was seven years old. I hope to get more laurels for my country."