Hyderabad is all set for an exciting event this weekend. The city will host the grand finale of the 72nd Miss World pageant on Saturday. This has put a global spotlight on Telangana.
Contestants from 108 countries have been in the region for a month, engaging in meaningful activities and cultural experiences. They will compete for the crown at 6:00 PM on Saturday at the HITEX Exhibition Center.
Hosting the event are Stephanie del Valle, Miss World 2016, and popular Indian presenter Sachiin Kumbhar. Bollywood stars Jacqueline Fernandez and Ishaan Khatter will perform live.
Actor and humanitarian Sonu Sood will receive the esteemed Miss World Humanitarian Award for his work during COVID-19. He will also serve as a judge. Other judges include Sudha Reddy, who hosted the Beauty with a Purpose Gala Dinner, and Dr. Caryna Turrell, Miss England 2014, who is a public health physician and philanthropist. Julia Morley CBE, Miss World CEO, will lead the jury and announce the winner.
Manushi Chhillar, Miss World 2017, will make a special appearance. The event will be live-streamed on SonyLiv in India, broadcast on select national TV channels, and available globally on www.watchmissworld.com in high definition.
Recently, the pageant faced controversy when Miss England 2024, Milla Magee, exited the competition, alleging mistreatment. Subsequently, the runner-up from Miss England 2024 joined the contest.
The contestants explored Telangana's rich culture and heritage, visiting historical sites like the Charminar, Chowmahalla Palace, and the Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Yadagirigutta, as well as the Ramappa Temple in Mulugu District.
The competition involves a structured selection process. Initially, all 108 contestants will be introduced. Then, 10 semi-finalists from each continental region—Americas & the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, Asia & Oceania—will move to the quarterfinals, totaling 40 delegates. Some contestants have already secured spots in the quarterfinals through fast-track challenges:
From the Americas & the Caribbean, we have Anna-Lise Nanton from Trinidad & Tobago (Head to Head Challenge), Aurélie Joachim from Martinique (Top Model), Valeria Pérez from Puerto Rico (Beauty with a Purpose), and Mayra Delgado from the Dominican Republic (Multimedia Award).
African contestants include Faith Bwalya from Zambia (Head to Head Challenge), Selma Kamanya from Namibia (Top Model), Natasha Nyonyozi from Uganda (Beauty With a Purpose), and Princesse Issie from Cameroon (Multimedia Award).
European representatives are Eliise Randmaa from Estonia (Sports Challenge), Millie-Mae Adams from Wales (Head to Head and Beauty with a Purpose), Jasmine Gerhardt from Ireland (Top Model), and Andrea Nikolić from Montenegro (Multimedia Award).
From Asia and Oceania, Monica Kezia Sembiring from Indonesia (Talent and Beauty with a Purpose), Idil Bilgen from Türkiye (Head to Head Challenge), Nandini Gupta from India (Top Model), and Opal Suchata from Thailand (Multimedia Award).
