Kollywood

Miss Nepal 2022 Priyanka Rani Joshi suddenly finds herself busier. In fact, much busier than she was before she was crowned Miss Nepal on June 18.

Her busy schedule post crowing sees her getting up early, doing some household chores, heading to gym, and grooming and training for Miss World 2022. The date and venue for the Miss World Pageant 2022 is yet to be announced. 

Outsmarting 23 other young and energetic hopefuls, the 24-year-old won the coveted title – plus an additional honour, Miss Delight – and made it to what many Nepali girls consider as the hall of fame for Nepali beauties. 

Along with the weight of the crown and its joy and excitement, comes the heavy responsibility that a Miss Nepal crown winner must shoulder. According to the event organiser, The Hidden Treasure Nepal, Joshi’s schedule for the whole year is packed with a variety of engagements, including social service projects and public appearances. 

Most importantly, she will be spending time training for the Miss World stage.

Diwakar Rajkarnikar, chairperson of The Hidden Treasure Nepal told Nepalminute: “After the new Miss Nepal is crowned, by default she will have a very busy schedule. In the first few weeks, she will be busy with interviews, social projects, and with public appearances and such.”

Thereafter, he said, she would be busy training for the Miss World stage: “She will participate in special training from an international trainer who will help in her personality development –  how to present herself in the international pageant.”

That aside, “she will also be busy filming the introduction video which she must present in the finale of Miss World,” he added.

Much-awaited pageant

Miss Nepal, ranked among the most reputed beauty pageants organised in Nepal, started since 1994, but the coronavirus pandemic affected two of its recent editions in 2020 and 2021.

This year, it was held again like before: in the physical presence of the panel of judges, participants, and audiences. It was held at a glittering ceremony at Godavari Sunrise Convention Centre in Lalitpur, with changes and upgrades in stages, lighting, and productions for the first time in years.

The winners of the event were decided upon by a panel of 11 judges who came from different walks of life.

The winning answer

The final question of this year for the contestants was, “What do you think that one girl can do or be example to be an independent and fearless woman in future?” 

And Joshi’s answer was this: “The start of the 21st century did bring about searches for positive changes for women across the globe. This started as a fight today we stand tall.  One girl has enough a power to search changes that disciplines, loves and brings the entire world together, because the sublime beauty of womanhood is in her parallel strength to hold the power of holding the world in her. And I stand for uplifting and empowering that strength.”

An entrepreneur by occupation, Joshi became an overnight celebrity after winning the crown. Nepal’s beauty pageant watchers say, being a Miss Nepal is being a role model to so many youths of the nation as many young girls look up to her, dreaming of winning the title someday themselves.

Asserting that the company’s main goal is to empower Nepali girls and women, The Hidden Treasure Nepal’s Rajkarnikar said,“Winning the title of Miss Nepal is not easy at all. Participants will need to go through about six to eight weeks of training, including sessions on makeup, public speaking, etiquettes, women empowerment, federalism, and culture, tourism and heritage.”

‘Beauty with a Purpose’

The ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ project for Miss World requires Miss Nepal too to decide on the projects she undertakes and invests her time in. “During the project process, The Hidden Treasure will support and sponsor the project in as many ways as we can,” Rajkarnikar added.

The Beauty with a Purpose is an event that started in 1972. It takes place before the Miss World pageant. The title is given to the participant with the most relevant and significant charity initiative in her country. Since 2005, the winner of this title has automatically been advancing to the quarterfinals.

Among Nepali participants, no other Miss Nepal — except Ishani Shrestha and Shrinkhala Khatiwada — has won the ‘Beauty with a Purpose' award.

Now, Joshi is already working hard to streamline her ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ mission, according to the organiser.

Before she participated in Miss Nepal, Joshi was a busy student and an entrepreneur, going to college daily, and during her free time, helping her mother both at home and at the jewellery shop that her family owns. Had she not won the coveted title, she would probably have been studying and adding value to her family business.