Nandini Gupta Miss World 2025 captivated the world on May 10, 2025, at the grand opening of the 72nd Miss World pageant in Hyderabad’s Gachibowli Indoor Stadium. Representing India, 21-year-old Nandini Gupta from Kota, Rajasthan, waved the tricolor and donned a Gaurang Shah-designed ensemble, blending Andhra’s gold zari leheria with Maharashtra’s Bangdi Mor peacock motif, per Femina. Her cultural presentation, among 110 global delegates, drew roaring applause, trending on X with 1.5 million views via @IndiaToday, as she embodied India’s heritage with grace and pride.
Nandini’s journey is a testament to perseverance. Born to a farmer father and homemaker mother in a modest Kota village, she faced financial struggles, with her family’s Rs 10,000 monthly income stretched thin, per SheThePeople. Inspired by Aishwarya Rai’s 1994 Miss World win, Nandini dreamed of the crown since age 10, per The New Indian Express. Schooling at St. Paul’s, she balanced studies with modeling, moving to Mumbai for a business management degree at Lala Lajpat Rai College. Early pageant rejections stung, but her 2023 Femina Miss India World victory in Imphal marked her rise, per News18. “Change starts within,” she told judges, a mantra that fueled her ascent, per Republic World.
The Nandini Gupta Miss World 2025 spotlight shines on her Project Ekta, a Beauty with a Purpose initiative empowering differently-abled communities, aligning with Miss World’s ethos, per LiveMint. Launched in 2024, it promotes inclusion, impacting 500 lives in Rajasthan, per The Hindu. In Hyderabad, Nandini’s preparation was intense—training in poise, public speaking, and cultural fluency, per ETV Bharat. Her visit to Charminar and Lad Bazaar, draped in a Gadwal saree, showcased her love for Telangana’s heritage, per The Hans India. She told ANI, “Hyderabad’s warmth mirrors India’s soul,” reflecting her role as cultural ambassador.
The opening ceremony, despite India-Pakistan tensions, was a triumph. Telangana’s Gussadi and Kommu Koya dances enthralled delegates, per Hindustan Times. Nandini’s ramp walk, holding the tricolor as Jana Gana Mana played, moved audiences, per Femina. With 115 contestants, India’s second consecutive Miss World hosting—after Mumbai 2024—highlights its global influence, per Deccan Herald. Hyderabad’s infrastructure, praised by Telangana Tourism’s Jayesh Ranjan, supports 60% of pageant events, per Outlook India. Nandini’s ensemble, paired with Kishandas Jewellery’s Chand Suraj necklace, celebrated India’s craftsmanship, per Femina.
Challenges tested Nandini. Rural Kota’s limited resources and societal expectations—70% of Rajasthan women face career restrictions, per a 2024 NSSO report—could have derailed her. Yet, her family’s sacrifices, like funding her Mumbai move, kept her focused, per Sakshi Post. The pageant’s Head-to-Head Challenge on May 23 looms, testing her oratory, per Hyderabad Mail. With India’s six Miss World wins, including Priyanka Chopra’s in 2000, expectations are high, per Times Now. Nandini’s poise, seen at the Aditya Mehta Foundation with para-athletes, signals her readiness, per Femina.The Nandini Gupta Miss World 2025 narrative is India’s pride. Her journey—from mustard fields to global stages—mirrors the dreams of 1 million Indian pageant aspirants, per AAI 2024. As Hyderabad hosts the May 31 finale, Nandini’s cultural showcase and Project Ekta position her as a frontrunner, per IBC World News. Her story, rooted in resilience, inspires a nation cheering for its daughter to bring home the crown.