Miss India 2024 winner Nikita Porwal: ‘Feminism can also mean cooking for your husband’

Hailing from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, 22-year-old Nikita Porwal overnight became a sensation as she won the Miss India World crown last week. But her journey as a young girl from a humble background to the global stage has just begun, and the changes feel surreal to the beauty queen. “Things have changed for me, and my life has flipped. It's no longer the same life. I started with 1700 followers, and now, with every refresh, the number keeps growing. It is not just Instagram; I feel a lot more responsible now. I have the entire country’s expectations and the role of representing the true India on a world stage.”

(Also Read | Miss India 2024 is Nikita Porwal of Madhya Pradesh)

When asked what she felt as Miss India 2023 Nandini Gupta placed the crown on her head, Nikita only felt gratitude. “I felt gratitude towards the audience, the judges who chose me as Miss India 2024, the lord, and my parents. Because I know it couldn't have been possible without the support of my parents.”

‘Beauty fades with time, but intelligence stays’

However, winning a beauty pageant doesn’t come without criticism. Pageants have long been criticised for putting too much onus on beauty. When asked about her views, Nikita said, “I think Miss Femina doesn’t just stand with beauty. For 60 years, we have highlighted that it should be ‘Beauty With a Purpose. Beauty fades with time, but intelligence stays with you, the country and the people, even when you are gone. I think this is what true beauty should stand for - wit, intelligence, patriotism.”

‘I want my parents to be known by my name’

Coming from a simple background, Nikita says her parents always supported her, so she always felt obligated to pay them back for it. “I come from a simple and humble background. I moved out to Mumbai to achieve my dreams, but my parents are still in Ujjain. They have to listen to what people say to them. Pursuing a career in the entertainment industry is not easy, and I have always wanted to be known by my name, and it has started happening already,” the Miss World winner beams.

‘I want to be like Aishwarya’

As for the idols who inspired her, Nikita had only one star in mind: Aishwarya Rai. “I feel that she is not just a beautiful person externally, but the real ‘beauty with a purpose’ (a Miss World motto). I really want to be like her. When I go on the global stage, I want to develop as much strength as she has. The way she has portrayed India on the world stage is phenomenal.” As for the winning speech, Nikita’s favourite was Lara Dutta.

When asked if she would follow in her idol’s steps and enter the film industry, Nikita, who has been doing theatre for the past seven years, says she won’t shy away if an opportunity arises. “I want to be an actor, so why not.” However, right now, her focus for the upcoming two years is Miss World.

‘I don’t have a godfather’

When asked if she thinks pageants like Miss India and Miss World become a great stepping stone for beauty queens, Nikita couldn’t agree more. “It provides a platform for people like me who come from a very humble background and don’t have a godfather in the industry. I don’t have any big connection in the industry, so yes, it supports and empowers them.”

As for what she would tell young girls who she may have inspired to participate in Miss India in future, Nikita says, “I would want to tell them, ‘If you want to join a beauty pageant if you want to be a housewife or if you want to be a corporate worker, be anything you want but with your own choice’. The meaning of feminism has changed to doing a job in the corporate [sector], but sometimes it’s also about choosing to be a housewife or to cook for your husband. So, anything that is done with choice is true feminism. Do anything you set your heart to, and you can be anything you want.”

Come 2026, Nikita will enter the Miss World competition and her entire efforts are towards preparing for the Miss World stage and bringing the crown home. “It is a privilege to represent a country like India. I am truly a patriotic and proud Indian and excited to represent the country on a world stage. I am a little nervous about playing the role of Indian representative at the Miss World stage. But I have my supporters and the blessings of my parents with me. So, we will win and bring the crown home.”