Pankhuri Gidwani is a multi-talented personality who has made a name for herself in the fields of acting, modeling, and beauty pageants. She is best known for being the second runner-up of Femina Miss India 2016 and representing India at Miss Grand International 2016.
She is also the first brand ambassador for khadi in Uttar Pradesh, promoting the handwoven fabric as a global fashion statement. Here are some interesting facts about Pankhuri Gidwani and her journey so far.
Biography
Pankhuri Gidwani was born on October 2, 1998 (age: 25 years, as of 2023), in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, to Deepak Gidwani, a journalist, and Anita Talwar Gidwani. She has a brother named Kushan Gidwani, who is a lawyer. She belongs to a Sindhi Hindu family and speaks Sindhi as her mother tongue.
She completed her schooling at La Martiniere Girls’ College in Lucknow, where she excelled in academics, sports, and co-curricular activities. She scored above 90 percent in her school exams and was the drummer of her school band, Zest. She is currently pursuing her graduation from Mithibai College in Mumbai.
Pankhuri Gidwani Wiki/Bio
| Name | Pankhuri Gidwani |
|---|---|
| Born | October 2, 1998 (age 25) |
| Birthplace | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Model, actress, beauty queen |
| Education | La Martiniere Girls’ College, Lucknow; Amity University, Lucknow |
| Title(s) | Campus Princess 2016 season 1; Femina Miss Grand India 2016 |
| Major competition(s) | Femina Miss India 2016 (2nd runner-up); Miss Grand International 2016 (Top 20; Best in National Costume) |
| Debut movie | Ujda Chaman (2019) |
| Web series | The Trip 2, The Holiday, Fittrat, Breathe: Into the Shadows |
| Short films | In the Fire, Adira, Shadows of Life |
| Awards/nominations | Indian Telly Awards 2019 (Nominee); Filmfare OTT Awards 2020 (Nominee) |
| Net worth (approx.) | $5-10 millions |
| Family | Father: Deepak Gidwani (journalist); Mother: Anita Talwar Gidwani; Brother: Kushan Gidwani (lawyer); Cousin: Chehak Gidwani |
| Boyfriend | Digvijay Singh (health coach) |
| Hobbies/interests | Dancing, debating, drumming, singing, traveling, environment enthusiast, reading, writing, playing badminton, writing poetry |
| Social media | Instagram- @pankhuri_gidwani1997 IMDB- @nm11188255 Twitter- @pankhurigidwan1 Facebook- @missgrandindia2016 Homepage- Sagalnews |
Passion for Arts and Culture
Pankhuri Gidwani has always been passionate about arts and culture since her childhood. She revealed in an interview that she used to try different lip shades at her mother’s dressing table when she was just six years old.
She also learned Kathak, a classical dance form, when she was four years old and performed at various shows, including Indradhanush at Rashtrapati Bhavan when Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was the president. She is also fond of singing, debating, drumming, reading, traveling, playing badminton and writing poetry. She is an environment enthusiast and supports various causes related to wildlife conservation and climate change.
Modeling Career and Beauty Pageants
Pankhuri Gidwani started her modeling career at the age of 15 and worked with renowned fashion designers like Ritu Kumar, Kimaya, Asma Hussain, and Royal Zaid in Lucknow. She also participated in several television commercials and fashion shows. In 2016, she skipped her board exams to take part in the FBB Miss India contest, a prestigious beauty pageant that scouts potential beauty queens from across the country.
She won the crown of Campus Princess, a Times Group initiative, in March 2016, which gave her an automatic entry as one of the 21 finalists in the Miss India contest. She impressed the judges and the audience with her confidence, grace, and intelligence and was crowned the second runner-up of Femina Miss India 2016. She also won the title of INIFD Miss Talented 2016 for her multifaceted skills.
As the second runner-up of Femina Miss India 2016, Gidwani got the opportunity to represent India at Miss Grand International 2016, a beauty pageant that aims to promote peace and end violence in the world. She competed with 76 contestants from different countries and made it to the top 20.
She also won the Best National Costume award for her stunning outfit that depicted the Indian peacock, the national bird of India. She showcased her patriotism and pride by wearing a tricolor sash and waving the Indian flag on the stage.
Height, Weight
- Height: 5 ft 9 in / 176 cm
- Weight: 123 lb / 56 kg
- Eye color: Dark brown
- Body measurements: 33-25-34 in / 84-64-86 cm
- Skin color: Not explicitly mentioned, but based on the photos, she appears to have a fair complexion
- Hair color: Black
Acting Career and Future Projects
Pankhuri Gidwani always aspired to be an actress and made her debut in Bollywood with the movie Ujda Chaman in 2019. She played the role of Reema, a college student who falls in love with the protagonist, played by Sunny Singh. The movie was a comedy-drama that revolved around the theme of baldness and astrology.
Pankhuri received positive reviews for her performance and screen presence. She also appeared in two short films, Shadows of Life (2021) and Adira (2020), which showcased her versatility and talent as an actor. She is currently working on some new projects that will be announced soon.
Brand Ambassador for Khadi in Uttar Pradesh
Pankhuri Gidwani added another feather to her cap when she was declared the first brand ambassador for Khadi in Uttar Pradesh in January 2021. The announcement was made by Khadi and MSME Minister Siddharth Nath Singh at the Khadi Mahotsav-2021 fashion show at Awadh Shilpgram. Gidwani is charged with the task of popularizing khadi as a global outfit, thereby putting Uttar Pradesh prominently on the map of the fashion world.
She will be working along with top designers like Ritu Beri, Rina Dhaka, JJ Vallaya, Padmashri Runa Bannerjee, Manish Tripathi, and others for this endeavor. She expressed her happiness and gratitude for this honor and said that she would do her best to promote the handwoven fabric that symbolizes the spirit of self-reliance and empowerment.
Awards and Achievements
Pankhuri has won several awards and accolades for her achievements in the fields of pageantry, modeling, and acting. Some of them are:
- Femina Miss Grand India 2016
- Miss Grand International 2016 – Top 20 and Best in National Costume
- Campus Princess 2016 season 1
- Femina Miss India 2016 – Miss Active and Miss Rampwalk
- ISC Board 2016 – Second Rank in India
- La Martiniere Girls’ College – Head Girl and Cultural Secretary
- Indian Telly Awards 2019 – Best Actress in a Web Series (Nominee) for The Trip 2
- Filmfare OTT Awards 2020 – Best Actress in a Web Series (Nominee) for Fittrat
Digvijay Singh Love Life With Pankhuri Gidwani
Pankhuri Gidwani is currently unmarried and in a relationship with Digvijay Singh, a health coach. The couple often shares their pictures and videos on social media, where they have a huge fan following. She has over 98.8k followers on Instagram and 4.5k followers on Twitter. She also has a YouTube channel where she posts her dance and singing videos. She loves to travel and explore new places and cultures.
She is also a philanthropist and is still in touch with her school’s charity organization Gandhi Corner, which donates necessities and handmade garments to the poor and needy. She considers herself lucky to have the privilege to dine with Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple after coming second runner-up in Femina Miss India 2016. She also follows the motto “Failures are acceptable, but aiming low is criminal” by James Russell Lowell.
Conclusion
Pankhuri Gidwani is a young and talented woman who has achieved a lot in a short span of time. She is an inspiration for many girls who want to pursue their dreams and passions. She is a perfect example of beauty with brains and heart. She is a proud Indian who represents her country with dignity and grace. She is a rising star who has a bright future ahead of her.
