MODELS from India

Top 7

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Indian Models of all time. This list of famous Indian Models is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Reita Faria (b. 1943)

With an HPI of 44.74, Reita Faria is the most famous Indian Model.  Her biography has been translated into 27 different languages on wikipedia.

Reita Faria Powell (née Faria; born 23 August 1943) is an Indian physician, former model and the winner of Miss World 1966 pageant. She is the first Miss World winner to be qualified as a medical doctor.

2. Padma Lakshmi (b. 1970)

With an HPI of 38.58, Padma Lakshmi is the 2nd most famous Indian Model.  Her biography has been translated into 31 different languages.

Padma Parvati Lakshmi (Tamil pronunciation: [ˈpɐd̪maː ˈlɐkʂmi]; born September 1, 1970) is an Indian-American author, model, activist, producer and television host. Born in India, Lakshmi immigrated to the United States as a child and was raised in California. She became a model before embarking on a career in television. Lakshmi hosted the cooking competition program Top Chef on Bravo continuously from 2006 to 2023. She is also the creator, host, and executive producer of the docuseries Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi, which premiered in June 2020 on Hulu. The series covers the food and culture of immigrant and indigenous communities across America. For her work with these two series, as an executive producer and as a host, she has received 16 Primetime Emmy nominations. She has written five books: two cookbooks, Easy Exotic and Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet; an encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs: An Essential Guide to the Flavors of the World; a memoir, Love, Loss, and What We Ate; and a children's book, Tomatoes for Neela illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal. In 2023, she was listed among Time's 100 most influential people in the world.

3. Rakhi Sawant (b. 1978)

With an HPI of 34.98, Rakhi Sawant is the 3rd most famous Indian Model.  Her biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Rakhi Sawant (also known as Fatima Durrani; born Neeru Bheda; 25 November 1978) is an Indian dancer, model, actress and television talk show host, who has appeared in many Hindi and a few Kannada, Marathi, Odia, Telugu and Tamil films. She was a contestant on the first season of the Indian reality television series Bigg Boss 1 (2006) and a challenger and finalist in Bigg Boss 14 (2020). She was the prospective bride in Season 1 of the Swayamvar TV series. Sawant has established herself as a sex symbol in Bollywood. Sawant launched her own political party, headed by Jai Shah, called the Rashtriya Aam Party, to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections. However, after the election, she joined Republican Party of India (A).

4. Namrata Shirodkar (b. 1972)

With an HPI of 32.82, Namrata Shirodkar is the 4th most famous Indian Model.  Her biography has been translated into 22 different languages.

Namrata Shirodkar (born 22 January 1972), is an Indian actress, producer and beauty pageant titleholder, who was crowned the Femina Miss India in 1993. She is primarily known for her work in Hindi films. She is best known for her works in films such as the Kachche Dhaage (1999), Ezhupunna Tharakan (1999), Vaastav: The Reality (1999) and Pukar (2000), for which she was nominated for the IIFA Best Supporting Actress Award. She also appeared in Astitva (2000), Dil Vil Pyar Vyar (2002), LOC Kargil (2003), and the British cinema Bride and Prejudice (2004), which was particularly successful in the UK. Shirodkar is married to Telugu cinema actor Mahesh Babu with whom she has two children.

5. Namitha (b. 1981)

With an HPI of 25.14, Namitha is the 5th most famous Indian Model.  Her biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Namitha Vankawala (born 10 May 1981) is a state executive member of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu. She started her career initially as an actress and model who predominantly works in Tamil and Telugu cinema along with a few films in Kannada and Malayalam.

6. Tulip Joshi (b. 1979)

With an HPI of 20.75, Tulip Joshi is the 6th most famous Indian Model.  Her biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Tulip Joshi (born 11 September 1980) is an Indian former actress and a businesswoman. She has appeared in Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam and Telugu films.

7. Nicole Faria (b. 1991)

With an HPI of 19.55, Nicole Faria is the 7th most famous Indian Model.  Her biography has been translated into 27 different languages.

Nicole Faria Powar (born 9 February 1990) is an Indian actress, model and the winner of the Miss Earth 2010 pageant. She is the brand ambassador for various brands including Clean & Clear and Swiss luxury wristwatches, Frédérique Constant. She was featured on international fashion and lifestyle magazine covers, like Elle, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, JFW, Man's World magazine and appeared on the Kingfisher Calendar in 2014. She has made significant contribution in spreading awareness about the detrimental effect of pollution on Rabindra Sarobar Lakes in Kolkata, West Bengal. In January 2018, Nicole received an award from the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind for being the first Indian woman to win the title of Miss Earth 2010. She was one of 112 women honoured as First Ladies of the country for their pioneering achievements after an extensive research process made by the Ministry of Women and Child Development of India.