"Compromise or...": The former Miss India remembers how her victory tested her "moral fiber."

Shweta Vijay Nair, the former Miss India Earth 2003, confesses she was pressured to "compromise," yet she stayed true to herself, inspiring many. (@shwetavijaynair on Instagram)

Shweta Vijay Nair, the former Miss India Earth 2003, says she felt pushed to make sacrifices to succeed. Her open Instagram post prompts a flood of encouragement.

Shweta Vijay Nair, a popular beauty influencer and the 2003 Miss India Earth, posted messages on Instagram on Friday that provoked a flurry of responses from her followers. Shweta has a devoted following on Instagram and YouTube, with over a million followers and two million subscribers, and her most recent post offered them an even closer look at her journey.

Shweta Vijay Nair revealed in a series of slides that although gorgeous, her triumph as Miss India more than twenty years ago was not without its surprises.

A "golden ticket to the chocolate factory" was what she called earning the crown, but there was a catch. She described how a senior pageant official warned her, "Compromise, or you'll be stuck in the minors forever," in her article. Staying true to her independent nature, Shweta declined to fit in.