Iona Pinto

Iona Pinto (17 June 1936 –11 November 2012) was an Indian model and beauty queen from Maharashtra, India. Pinto was the first crossover pageant delegate from India.

Pinto is from Maharashtra, India. During her college years, Pinto worked as a bank teller at the Bank of America branch in Mumbai. She was encouraged to join a beauty pageant by her gay male cousin who was working as a salon hairstylist in Mumbai. She then participated in the Miss India pageant of Eve's Weekly, a Mumbai-based magazine that held its first pageant in the country in 1960.

She was crowned the first Eve's Weekly Miss India and represented India at the first edition of Miss International in 1960. She was declared first runner up at half a point (0.5) score margin, thereby conceding victory to Stella Araneta of Colombia. At this pageant, Pinto received a grand consolation prize of US$4,000 and the Miss International trophy (there was no consolation crown or novelty sash during this time).

Pinto was sent again to represent India at the Miss World 1960 pageant but remained unplaced. After Miss World she returned to India and did modeling work. Later on, she migrated to the Philippines for new work and to start a family.

Pinto died of breast cancer on 11 November 2012 in Angeles City, Philippines. A Catholic Mass was offered in her memory at the Cathedral of the Holy Name, Mumbai.