Beauty's Ugly Backlash.

• Position: Social implications that Miss World and Miss Universe are both from India - Brief Article

It may not have supreme economic or military might, but India has become a superpower--in the world of beauty pageants. For the second time, India boasts the top two beauties, the reigning Miss World and Miss Universe. When that twin triumph first happened in 1994, it boosted the country's self-image and led to a national pageant obsession--and Miss World titles in '97 and '99.

"For so long we've considered ourselves to be losers and second-raters," says novelist Shobe De. "We crave success at anything at all in the international...