Padma Lakshmi

Padma appears in a short film made to accompany the Elton John song "Rocket Man" for his Las Vegas show The Red Piano. The video also stars Justin Timberlake playing a young Elton.

She was ranked #87 on the Maxim magazine "2007 Hot 100" list.

Padma was chosen as one of People magazine's annual "100 Most Beautiful People in the World", in May 2007.

She hosted a documentary series called Planet Food. The series was broadcasted on The Food Network and worldwide on Discovery Channel.

She wanted to be a model since she was a child.

She wrote in such magazines as American Vogue, Gourmet and Harper's Bazaar.

She created her own film production company, Lakshmi Productions.

When she was just 14, Padma was in a serious car accident which left a 7-inch scar on her right arm.

She and her husband have separate apartments.

As of 2006, she currently lives in Manhattan, New York.

She moved back in Italy after her graduation from Clark University and co-hosted the Italian TV show Domenica in Rai.

She spent her last semester of college in Spain.

She was on the cover of Cosmopolitan Magazine in January, 2002.

She appear in television commercial for the designers Versus and Roberto Cavalli.

She was discovered by a modeling agent while sitting in a café.

While she was a model, she modeled for Versace, Armani and Ralph Lauren.

She speaks five languages.

Along with her husband Salman Rushdie, she hosted the Indo-American Arts council's Sixth Annual Film Festival Opening Night Gala at Lincoln Center on November 1, 2006.

Padma is the author of the recipe book Easy Exotic and won the International Versailles Event for "Best Cookbook By A First Time Writer".

Her first name literally means "lotus flower" in Hindi.

She graduated of Clark University in Massachusetts and majored in Theater Arts.

Padma and husband Salman Rushdie announced in June 2007 that they were ending their three year marriage.