IMA lauds Manushi Chhillar on winning Miss World 2017

IMA lauds Manushi Chhillar on winning Miss World 2017

The Association hopes that the medical student will continue her education and work towards raising awareness on preventive health

New Delhi, 22 November 2017: In what can be called as a matter of pride for the medical fraternity, Manushi Chhillar, an aspiring cardiac surgeon from Haryana, won the title of Miss World 2017. She takes home the crown 17 years after the last title was won by an Indian. The medical fraternity has praised her as a combination of beauty with intelligence and hopes that she will continue her MBBS programme to win another noteworthy title – that of a doctor.

Manushi is enrolled in a medical college in Sonepat, Haryana. Her father is a scientist while her mother is an associate professor and department head of neurochemistry at the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, in Delhi. Manushi wishes to open a chain of non-profitable hospitals based in rural areas as per her profile.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, National President Indian Medical Association (IMA) and President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Dr RN Tandon – Honorary Secretary General IMA in a joint statement, said, "The IMA takes this opportunity to congratulate Ms Manushi Chhillar on winning the Miss World 2017 title. We are proud of her win and of the fact that she is an MBBS student. However, we hope she will go on to win the title of a doctor as well and make us prouder. It is not an easy task to get admission into a medical college and undergo a five-year rigorous training to become a doctor. Since she is already a student of medicine, she should not drop out and pursue this further. Apart from this, being a public figure as also a representative of this profession, Manushi can be instrumental in raising awareness about preventive health in the country. She is also an example of the fact that medical students can take time out for other activities and interests in between their busy schedules and become successful.”

Manushi’s inspiration is Reita Faria, the first Indian to win the Miss World crown in 1966, who later went on to pursue medicine as a career.

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, said, “Manushi is already an inspiration for youngsters. By pursuing her MBBS degree and completing it, she can become an inspiration for all those students who have chosen medicine as a career and wish to make a mark outside their studies too. With her knowledge, she will also be able to reach out to people about health and its related aspects, thus making an impact. We wish her all the very best.”

Manushi hails from a family of doctors. They have indicated she has taken a break from studies for one year and will continue with her third year in the next batch. Her college is supportive of her decisions and is proud of her achievements too.