Vaidehi Dongre from Michigan was crowned Miss India USA 2021 over the weekend at Royal Albert's Palace, New Jersey, and will now travel to Mumbai, India. The diva is 25 years of age who has graduated from the University of Michigan, majoring in international studies.

Dongre works as a business development manager for a major corporation. After being crowned Miss India Michigan 2021, she took to her social media to share the news, "The Miss India USA pageants have always provided a platform to empower and encourage women of Indian origin. As a little girl, having been born in India and raised in the US, I have always straddled the line between Indian and American culture and values and discovered all the amazing gifts that both have to offer. I believe that the Miss India USA platform will give me the confidence and resources to further my goals, and leave a positive lasting impact on my community. "

Vaidehi, who also won the Miss Talented award at the coronation ceremony after performing Kathak, an Indian classical dance, stated, "I want to have a positive lasting impact on my community and focus on women's financial independence and literacy."

Miss India USA 2021 Vaidehi Dongre’s court includes:

First runner-up: Arshi Lalani

Vaidehi is a volunteer associate at the AWE Foundation, which is a platform for empowering women economically to create a multi-dimensional impact that spurs gender-balanced economic development. She is a business development analyst at New Zealand Trade Enterprise. The beauty queen is a highly motivated young female professional passionate about people and relationship building.

The beauty queen mentioned, "The Miss India Michigan pageant made me realize how much growth can come from leaning into challenges. Participating in and winning the Miss India Michigan pageant brought me a level of internal clarity and confidence that I didn’t think was possible. " She thanked everyone who had supported and motivated her throughout the competition and helped her perform her best and eventually win the title. She will now prepare herself for future pageants.

Miss World 1997 Diana Hayden was the chief guest and chief judge for the pageant. The longest-running Indian pageant outside India was started by New York-based eminent Indian-Americans Dharmatma and Neelam Saran under the banner of Worldwide Pageants around 40 years ago.