Mumbai, Aug 3 (IANS): Actress and former beauty queen Manushi Chhillar shared that, for her, the festival of Raksha Bandhan has always stood for gender parity and equality.

According to Manushi, her parents Mitra Basu and Neelam taught the three siblings -- Dewangana, Dalmitra and Manushi -- that protecting each other and standing by each other is most important.

"In my family, my parents have always instilled a sense of parity, a sense of equality in everything we do or celebrate. So, even when we have celebrated Raksha Bandhan, it has been a very inclusive occasion for us," Manushi said.

She added: "Dewangana, Dalmitra and I have always celebrated it as a day to appreciate the bond we share as siblings and promise that we'll always be there for each other. We're best friends!"

Manushi says that her brother Dalmitra is hugely progressive in his thinking because of her parents.

"My brother, being the youngest, has himself been vocal about the fact that he needs his sisters as much as we need him. That's the bond we share," she said.

Manushi, who won the Miss World crown in 2017, added: "This ethos has come from our parents and how we have seen them being equals at everything. They have been our role models because of their principles, morals, philosophies and the way they have led and maintained their relationship."

She thanks her for moulding them as "independent, inclusive and for grounding us with the right values".