Who is Rachel Gupta? Meet 20-year-old Punjab resident who just became the first Indian to win Miss Grand International

Rachel Gupta became the first Indian to win the Miss Grand International title on Friday — beating out contenders from more than 70 countries. The Punjab resident also won the Grand Pageants Choice Award and currently remains tied with Lara Dutta for ‘the most global pageant crowns won by an Indian’.

“Congratulations to the winner Rachel Gupta on achieving the crown of dreams! She embodies beauty, elegance, and true talent. May her journey to success shine even brighter with every step she takes,” the organisers wrote on Instagram while sharing a video of the announcement.

“We did it! We won the first Golden Crown in Indian history…Thank you so much to everyone who believed in me! I promise, I will not let you down. I vow to be a Queen whose reign you’ll remember forever!” she added in a later post.

The twenty-year-old secured a place at the international pageant after winning the Miss Grand India title in August. She had also previously won the ‘Miss Super Talent of the World’ crown in 2022.

She enjoys considereable influence on social media — with more than a million followers on Instagram. She will now serve as a global ambassador for Miss Grand International — promoting global peace and stability.

An article published in 2022 had previously indicated that Gupta was pursuing academics and entrepreneurship while working on pageants.

“I understand that a lot of women hesitate in pursuing their dreams. Either due to the baggage that they carry or lack of faith. I hope my journey inspires and encourages them to have aspirations, break the chains and work towards accomplishing their dreams,” reports quoted the then 18-year-old as saying following her 2022 win.

In an unrelated update from the pageant world, Nikita Powal was crowned Femina Miss India World 2024 at a grand finale held in Mumbai last week. The Madhya Pradesh resident will now represent India at the global Miss World pageant — joining the ranks of legendary winners like Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra.

(With inputs from agencies)