Miss World 1994, the 44th edition of the Miss World pageant, was held on 19 November 1994 and marked the third consecutive staging of Miss World in Sun City, South Africa. 87 contestants from around the world competed for the title. Lisa Hanna of Jamaica crowned her successor Aishwarya Rai of India at the end of the event.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Hindi and Tamil films. Rai won the Miss World 1994 pageant and later established herself as one of the most-popular and influential celebrities in India. She has received numerous accolades for her acting, including two Filmfare Awards. In 2004, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2009, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri and in 2012, the Government of France awarded her with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. In the 2000s and 2010s, media often called her "the most beautiful woman in the world".