Manika Sheokand is an Indian model who struck stardom after she was crowned the Femina Miss Grand India 2020 on 10 February 2021.
Wiki/Biography
Manika Sheokand was born in 1996 (age 25 years; as of 2021), and she hails from Chandigarh, India. In an Instagram post, she revealed that people pitied her parents for having a second girl child. She quoted,
The age-old misogynist culture was still ruling people’s minds and baby girls were still unwanted. When I was born, society pitied my parents for having a second girl child. This made me determined to prove that I am an asset to society and not a liability.”
She attended KB DAV Senior Secondary Public School, Chandigarh. During her school days, she academically outshined her fellow students, meanwhile, excelling in the field of sports as a national-level netball player. From 2013 to 2018, she pursued Integrated B.E. (Chemical)-MBA at Dr S. S. Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering & Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh. [1]
Physical Appearance
[2]Height: 5′ 8″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Manika Sheokand’s father’s name is Suraj Mal Sheokand, and her mother, Mamta Shoekhand, is a homemaker. Her elder sister’s name is Kanika Sheokand.
Relationships, Husband & Children
Not much is known about her relationships.
Career
In May 2016, she joined KBR, Inc., Gurgaon, where she interned for three months. Later, she joined Gujarat Fluorochemicals Limited. In 2019, she left her job to pursue modelling as a full-time profession. She was the show-stopper for the Gurugram International Couture Week (2019) in which she walked the ramp for the designer labels Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor, Narendra Kumar, and Rina Dhaka.
After winning the title of Femina Miss India Haryana 2019, she started preparing for Miss India 2020. During her beauty pageant journey, she won the title of ‘Mohey Miss Photogenic,’ a Sub-Contest of VLCC Femina Miss India 2020. In the grand finale event of Femina Miss India 2020, which was held on 10 February 2021, Manika Sheokand secured herself the title of Miss Grand India 2020, while Hyderabad’s Manasa Varanasi was crowned Miss India World 2020, and Uttar Pradesh’s Manya Singh went on to become Miss India 2020 Runner-up. Bollywood actors Neha Dhupia, Chitrangada Singh, Pulkit Samrat, and celebrated designer duo Falguni and Shane Peacock were among the jury panel of Miss India 2020.
Favourite Things
- Holiday Destination: Kashmir
- Film: Dead Poets Society (1989)
- Book:The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
- Quote: The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” (Nelson Mandela)
- Actress: Priyanka Chopra
Facts & Trivia
- After being persuaded by her elder sister, Kanika Sheokand, Manika decided to participate in the beauty pageant Femina Miss India (2020). In an interview, she said,
It was my elder sister who convinced me that I should participate in the pageant. I always thought that winning the crown was a dream I could never achieve…”
- While she was working in the corporate sector, she led the sustainable development program of her company, which aimed at tracking the carbon footprint of the company to reduce its impact on the environment. Through the prestigious platform of Femina Miss India (2020), Manika aspires to spread awareness about the phenomenon of climate change, its effects, and measures to solve it. In an interview, she said,
Women play a crucial role in preserving the climate, and that is why one of the SDG especially focuses on gender equality and women empowerment. Gradually, I realized that to make an extraordinary impact, an extraordinary platform is a prerequisite…”
- Another lesser-known fact about Manika is that she sometimes experiences social media phobia.
- Manika is passionate about learning the art of acting and aspires to pursue a career in acting. She is a great admirer of the beauty queen Priyanka Chopra. While talking Priyanka, she said,
I am most inspired by Priyanka Chopra because of her strong personality and the way she has carved out an identity for herself. Her strong persona has inspired me to break the glass ceilings and stereotypes and emerge as a winner in every aspect of my life. Seeing her gives me hope that one can achieve anything one aspires for if they are strong-headed and hardworking, nothing is impossible if you are determined.”
- While sharing interesting facts about herself, she stated that she never followed a diet until she began preparing to participate in Miss India (2020).
- She also idolizes British-American journalist Anna Wintour who served as the editor-in-chief of Vogue, an American monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine. While expressing her fondness for Anna Wintour, she said,
My dream job would be to assist Anna Wintour. I have been a huge fan of her work and I would love to assist her in her creative jobs.”
- Apart from modelling, she is also fond of reading books, watching movies, and playing the ukulele.
- While sharing a funny memory of her college days, she said,
Everyone in college thought my sister was my doppelganger. My friends got excited and made me meet this doppelganger only to realize that she was my elder sister.”