Daijiworld Media Network - Florida

Florida, May 17: In the 69th Miss Universe contest held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, Miss India Adeline Castelino bagged the third runner-up. Miss Mexico Andrea Meza won the Miss Universe crown for 2021, on Sunday, May 16.

Brazil's Julia Gama became the 1st runner-up and Peru's Janick Maceta became the 2nd runner-up.

Born and brought up in Kuwait, Adline hails from Udupi. She was born in Kuwait to Alphonsus Castelino, who works at White Store and Meera Castelino, who works at Hellmann Worldwide Logistics in Kuwait, at present.

In Mumbai, she studied at St Xavier's High School and then pursued her degree from a town college. Later on, she enrolled herself in various online pageants and was crowned Miss Cocoaberry Diva in 2019. Adline Castelino was crowned as the winner of the LIVA Miss Diva Universe 2020 competition.

Meza, who won the title, a software engineer, had to compete with 73 other contestants from all over the world to become the third women from the country to win the title. Former Miss Universe Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa crowned the Mexican beauty at the event held in Florida, USA.

In the final round, the 26-year-old was asked to speak on the changing beauty standards. She answered: "We live in a society that is more than advanced, and as we advance as a society, we've also advanced with stereotypes."

Adding: "Nowadays beauty isn't only the way we look. For me, beauty radiates not only in our spirit but in our hearts and the way that we conduct ourselves. Never permit someone to tell you that you're not valuable."

Castelino had penned down a heartfelt note on her journey through a video clip posted on social media. She had written: "If I could pen down this feeling without getting overwhelmed about how I felt as I stood there witnessing people around the world cheering, flags waving high and even if I missed seeing, I felt like I was home.

"I thought of you India and what we are going through. The love that people give you when they are hurting themselves is the purest form of love one can experience. I'm grateful to you that at a young age I have experienced that and if I could only show you what I saw that day! I saw hope, a hope that will be ours soon."

With Inputs from IANS