Born in New Delhi in 1971, Padma Lakshmi spent most of her adolescence in the United States. From a very young age Padma knew she was beautiful. In fact, she recalls having worn her first seductive dress at only 9 years old. It was always her dream to be a model.

Her mother, however, insisted that Padma get a college degree first, telling her that if she was beautiful at 17, she'd be beautiful at 21, with a degree in hand. Around this time, Padma got into a serious car accident, which left a 7-inch scar on her right arm. This would become her signature feature, that curious imperfection that makes her all the more lovely and