Miss Universe Harnaaz is the centre of the Sandhu clan's world

Gaurav Kanthwal 
Tribune News Service 
Mohali, December 13

Harnaaz Sandhu's the apple of her family's eye and the centre of her family's universe---mainly because she's the only girl in a band of boys.

The extended Sandhu clan has 17 brothers, and she's the only girl. Her family is from Kohali village Batala in Gurdaspur and now lives in Mittal Apartments in Shivalik City on Kharar Landran road in Sector 125. 

 Her father, who already had a son then, was ecstatic when she was born.

"I distributed sweets in the hospital," says her proud PS Sandhu.

The current Miss Universe, who's done her BA (IT) from PG Govt College Sector 42 and is currently pursuing Masters in Public Administration, has her family firmly behind her.  

 "I am very happy and proud. We are waiting for her to give her a grand party. She has made the whole country proud. Bhangra pavan ge!"

Mother Rabinder Kaur Sandhu, a medical officer at a hospital in Sohana, said she can’t put her joy into words.

"I’m super excited,” she says. “She wanted to go into the judiciary and had into a university but changed her mind."

From horse-riding, singing, cooking, to poetry and theatre, her accomplishments are endless, and her family can't stop gushing about her. 

"She’s a confident, down-to-earth person from a middle-class family. Beauty pageants and the glamour industry have always excited her and she was focused on her goal. We have never stopped her,” her mother adds proudly.