Actress Sushmita Sen on Tuesday shared a throwback picture of herself and mused on the life lessons learnt in the aftermath of her becoming the first Indian to be crowned Miss Universe at the age of 18.

The picture shared by Shushmita shows her cradling an orphan baby in her arms. “This captured moment is 30 years old today as is India’s first-ever victory at Miss Universe,” she captioned the photo.

“This little girl, who I met in an orphanage, taught an 18-year-old me life’s most innocent yet profound lessons, ones that I live by to this day,” the actress wrote in a note alongside the photo.

Looking back at her incredible journey as Miss Universe, Sushmita thanked the Philippines for showering her with unending love and acceptance. “Three decades & counting!! #mahalkita I remember & celebrate your grace, my beautiful,” she wrote.

“To all my beloved fans, friends, family, and well-wishers around the world…know that each one of you has made a difference in my life and inspired me in ways you may never know. I feel the love Thank you,” Sushmita signed off, saying she hopes to celebrate 30 more years of her victory.

On the work front, Sushmita recently grabbed eyeballs with her performance in the third season of Disney+ Hotstar crime thriller Aarya. She played a mafia queen opposite Chandrachur Singh. The third season of the show was released on the streamer in two installments – Part I on November 3, 2023, and Part II on February 9 this year.