Laksmi Shari De Neefe Suardana crowned Puteri Indonesia 2022

Laksmi Shari De Neefe Suardana from Ubud, Bali, was crowned Puteri Indonesia 2022, on May 27, 2022, at The Jakarta Convention Center emerging at the top of a field of 43 beautiful finalists vying to be crowned “Miss Indonesia” and the chance to represent their country at the upcoming edition of Miss Universe pageant.  The finals were held with the theme “The Beauty and Uniqueness of Borobudur Temple” after a hiatus in the yearly event caused by the global pandemic. The 2022 edition of the Indonesian National Beaty Pageant represents the largest number of competing finalists participating in the contest’s history. This year’s pageant saw multiple contestants from single provinces, including Jakarta and Papua.The finale was also attended by Miss Universe 2021 – Harnaaz Sandhu of India, Miss International 2019 – Sireethorn Leearamwat of Thailand, and the runner-up of Miss Supranational 2021 – Chanique Rabe of Namibia.

Laksmi succeeds to Puteri Indonesia 2020 Raden Roro Ayu Maulida Putri.

As reported by Kompas.com, in the final round of the competition, each of the three finalists was asked the same question by Putri Kuswinu Wardana of the Puteri Indonesia Foundation. The question posed to the finalists was to explain one thing they would like to change in their own lives. Laksmi answered that all things happening in her life formed personal experiences that make her stronger as a person. She said all her life experiences and the support of others had brought her the chance to participate in the Puteri Indonesia pageant.

The 26-year-old beauty queen was born in Ubud, Bali. She is the daughter of a Balinese Father, Ketut Suardana, and her Melbourne-born mother, Janet De Neefe. Her parents operate several successful restaurants in Ubud, and her mother is the founder of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival and Ubud Food Festival, which was first held in 2004 as a healing project in response to the bombings in Bali in 2022.

From 2012 to 2013, she attended Monash College in Clayton, Melbourne where she earned her Diploma of Arts. From 2014 to 2016, she attended Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University in Melbourne where she earned her bachelor’s degree in fashion design.From 2016 to 2020, she attended Polimoda in Florence, Tuscany, Italy where she earned her bachelor’s degree in business marketing in fashion business.

In 2019, she became an activist and contributor for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Voices of Youth.

She enjoys reading books and social activities, and considers herself inspired, driven and resilient.

The 2022 Puteri Indonesia’s court includes –

1st runner-up or Puteri Indonesia Lingkungan 2022 – Cindy May McGuire (Jakarta)

2nd runner-up or Puteri Indonesia Pariwisata 2022 –  Adinda Chreseilla (East Java)

The runner-ups will be sent to Miss International and Miss Supranational pageants, respectively.