Miss Diva Universe 2014: Lara Dutta to Host the Show; Complete List of Contestants

The 2^nd edition of the Miss Diva Universe beauty contest kick started in Mumbai, India, this week.

Altogether, 16 final contestants from across the country will compete with each other to win the Miss Diva 2014 title.

Miss Diva 2013 Manasi Moghe will crown this year's winner. The winner of this beauty pageant will represent India in Miss Universe 2014. 

A total of 213 contestants registered for the audition round, which took place in Mumbai, but only 16 contestants managed to make it to the list.

Actress Lara Dutta will make her television debut as a host of this beauty pageant. The former Miss Universe said that she is excited to host the show.

"With this new format, we want to replicate that international success. Having been a Miss Universe, I know that life and I'm excited to share it with the girls. The TV series gives the audience a chance to get to know the girls. The eliminations are heart-breaking, but we have to find a winner," Dutta told The Times of India.

The finale of the beauty pageant will take place on 1 October in Mumbai. But till that time the contestants will compete to win several sub contests.

Meanwhile, here is the list of top 16 Miss Diva Universe 2014 contestants:

1. Karanveer Kaur from Jalandhar, Punjab
2. Asha Bhat from Bhadravathi, Karnataka
3. Aishwarya Vhatkar from Mumbai, Maharashtra
4. Shreeradhe Kanduja from Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh
5. Alankrita Sahai from Delhi
6. Niddhi Agerwal from Bangalore, Karnataka
7. Shruti Iyer from Kerala
8. Jyoti Rajput from Delhi
9. Monisha Ramesh from Bangalore, Karnataka
10. Chahat Dalal from Mumbai, Maharashtra
11. Minash Ravuthar from Mumbai, Maharashtra
12. Hida Siddique from Delhi
13. Lopamudra Raut Nagpur from Maharashtra
14. Vartika Singh from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
15. Shivani Singh from Udaipur, Rajasthan
16. Noyonita Lodh from Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu