Kanishtha Dhankar was born in Mumbai at a naval base with ancestors from Haryana.
Her grandparents reside in a village in the Jhajjar district where she spent a lot of time.
Starting her modeling career in college, she got her parents' support under the condition that her grades remained good.
Kanishtha starred in the film 'Fashion' in 2008 alongside Kangana Ranaut and Priyanka Chopra.
After winning Pantaloons Miss India 2011, she represented India in the Miss World 2011 pageant in London, then moved to New York in 2013 for the Mercedes Benz fashion week.
Kanishtha has walked the runways for various prestigious events including Lakme Fashion Week.
She has been featured in several renowned magazines and graced the cover of publications like Vogue and Elle.
Currently, Kanishtha advocates for sustainability, human rights, and a yogic lifestyle.
She aims to focus on education, gender issues, sustainability, and international development.