Eesha Kulkarni

The stunning Priyanka Chopra needs no introduction to anyone with even a passing interest in films and popular culture, and is one of the most distinguished entertainers this country has known. From bagging the coveted Miss World title in 2000, to being heralded as one of the top actresses in Bollywood and carving a niche for herself in Hollywood, Chopra is a force to reckon with. The ace actress single-handedly paved the way for South Asian representation in mainstream roles in Hollywood and helped put India on the global map.

Here are six times our OG Desi girl represented India on prestigious international platforms and made us all gush with pride!

When PC interviewed Kamala Harris

Chopra was recently invited to converse with United States Vice President Kamala Harris during the Democratic National Committee Women’s Leadership Forum in Washington DC. Besides discussing leadership roles for women, the former Miss World notably addressed several important issues including pay disparity, gun control in the US, voting rights and unequal work opportunities while interviewing the Vice President. Chopra shared snippets from the prestigious event on her Instagram page and captioned it with a heartfelt note that said, “While I don’t vote in this country - my husband can and one day, my daughter will.” In the note, she also stressed on how women were silenced and shunned from important decision-making capacities, but now, thanks to female leaders and revolutionaries who’ve historically fought for equal rights, today’s women can unite to collectively “right the wrongs”. She also expressed her gratitude to the World Leader Forum and Secretary Hillary Clinton, a founding member of this organisation, for inviting and including her in these important conversations.

When she became the first Indian woman to grace the ‘Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women’ list and cover

After ruling the entertainment industry for over two decades, the actress became the first Indian woman to be featured on the ‘Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women’ cover in 2017. Chopra was bestowed with this honour once again the next year as well. In the 2018 Instagram post she shared the gorgeous cover and wrote, “Thank you @forbes! Honoured to be a part of such an exclusive and illustrious list of #PowerWomen in the world for the second time.. It’s a reminder to stay hungry, keep pushing the status quo and continuing to do what I love. And on that note...#backtowork #ForbesTop100MostPowerfulWomen”.

When she was honoured at the Marrakech Film Festival

Just a day after winning the Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award at the UNICEF Snowflake Ball for her philanthropic initiatives and efforts, Chopra was honoured at Festival International Du Film De Marrakech in Morocco. The actress, producer, mum and entrepreneur thanked the jury and accepted the award in a sparkling golden saree, while all of us cheered her on like a proud parent. In one of her old Instagram posts she wrote, “To think that my career started nearly 20 years ago is surreal. I am honoured and proud to be recognized tonight at the Marrakech Film Festival. Thank you, truly, to everyone who came out to Jemaa el Fna square. #Gratitude. Thank you @melitatoscan @festivaldufilmdemarrakech.” Hollywood actor Robert Redford was also felicitated at the event.

When she was appointed as the Global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador For Child Rights

Chopra, the multifaceted personality and globally celebrated talent, served as a National Ambassador to UNICEF India for ten years before joining forces with the global Goodwill Ambassador team in 2016. Chopra has been involved in a number of efforts to safeguard children’s rights and promote the education of girls in India, including through her eponymous charity, The Priyanka Chopra Foundation for Health and Education, and as part of a United Nations Foundation, Girl Up Champion.

“Along this journey with UNICEF, I have experienced firsthand the transformative power of empowering young girls with opportunities that are rightfully theirs. I am proud to stand with UNICEF to help build a world where children’s rights are respected and protected,” Priyanka said in a statement.

When she became the first Indian actress to have bagged the People’s Choice Award

Chopra made it big in the US and achieved the kind of mainstream success in Hollywood that no Indian actress had tasted before. She won the People’s Choice Award under the ‘favourite actress in a new TV series’ category for portraying the role of Alexandra Parrish in the American Broadcasting Company’s (ABC) thriller-drama TV series Quantico.

When 18-year-old Priyanka won the Miss World title

Since this was the very first instance of Chopra representing India on a hyper-competitive, global platform, we couldn’t leave out her winning the legendary title of Miss World back in 2000 from the list. The 18-year-old, starry eyed future actress and girl-boss-out-for-world-domination, wowed the pageant’s notable jury members and the audiences with her unwavering confidence, sharp intelligence and stunning beauty and brought home the glittering crown.

The actress even reminisced her iconic win in an Instagram post in 2020 and wrote, “#TBT Miss World at 18! The turn of the millennium...the year 2000! Wow. It feels like just yesterday I was living this dream. Now, almost 20 years later, my enthusiasm for changing the status quo remains as strong and is at the core of everything I do. I truly believe girls have the power to bring about change if they get the opportunities they deserve. #strivehigher #dreambig”.