It’s a first for India in the ten-year history of the Miss Earth beauty pageant. On Saturday (December 4), Pantaloons Femina Miss India (PFMI) Earth 2010 Nicole Faria was crowned Miss Earth at a sparkling ceremony in Vietnam. The 20-year-old from Bangalore had been tipped as a favourite even before she arrived. Speaking from the coastal tourist town of Nha Trang, where the contest was held, Nicole could barely contain her excitement. "I'm ecstatic!" she gushed. "It feels wonderful to have won from among 84 contestants, but more than that I will cherish the experience of having met some wonderful girls from a confluence of cultures. It was especially nice to have my parents and other familiar faces by my side during the time it was all unfolding."