Your background doesn't matter, it is who you become: Miss India World 2023 Nandini Gupta

Mumbai: As the daughter of a farmer and a homemaker, Miss India World 2023 Nandini Gupta says she never let her background come in the way of her childhood dream of participating in a beauty pageant.

Gupta, 19, was announced the winner on Saturday night in Imphal, Manipur, where she beat out competition from 29 other contestants.

The newly-crowned Miss India World said she lived a simple life in Kota, Rajasthan, before moving to Mumbai to study business management at Lala Lajpatrai College. In Mumbai, the former Miss Rajasthan started preparing for the Miss India World pageant alongside her studies.

"My father is a farmer, my mother is a homemaker and she helps him too. Your background doesn't matter, it is who you become. No matter where you come from, life is a journey... That's why I polished myself in such a way that it made me determined and ambitious,” she told PTI in an interview post her win.

Gupta remembers being mesmerised by former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan while watching "Devdas" at a young age.

That was the beginning of the dream to win a beauty pageant, she said, crediting her mother for inspiring her at the age of 10.

"The crown attracted me. When I saw it in a newspaper, I was like, 'How do we get this?' My mother was watching 'Devdas' on DVD, I was mesmerised looking at Aishwarya's beauty, and I asked my mother, 'Who is she?' She said, 'She is Miss World'. I was like 'How do you become that?' and when she told me about it, I wanted to become one,” Gupta said.

Over the years, Gupta said she saw the contribution of beauty queens towards society and how they excelled in their lives. She hopes to use her popularity to create more employment opportunities for women.

"Coming from a small town, I had big dreams and today people have opened up their heart to me... Miss India is not only a platform that brings you closer to your dreams, it also gives you a voice, because people start to follow you," she said.

The idea behind studying business management was to groom herself as an entrepreneur, Gupta added.

She credits her father for instilling the importance of education in her. She also shared that he was initially apprehensive about her interest in the glamour field.

“He was keen towards studies. As soon as he started seeing the passion in me, how I lived alone in Mumbai, how I managed things, how I was studying and not going anywhere, he changed his mind.

"After my selection as Miss Rajasthan, his mindset totally changed. I get his insecurity about taking a career (in the glamour industry). So, I made sure I am not disheartening him by not continuing with studies.” Which is why Gupta felt emotional to see her father’s reaction after her Miss India win.

“After my win, my mother didn't cry, but my father cried and hugged me for the first time in my life. It was a proud (feeling) and (I saw) happy tears on his face for the first time.

"I remember how the crowd was cheering up, but the only glimpse I have is of my father standing up and tears rushing from his eyes,” she added.

Gupta will represent India next year at the 71st edition of the Miss World pageant, to be held in the UAE.

She hopes to stay grounded despite her newfound fame.

"My parents have always taught me to be grounded. No matter how high you reach, you have to come back to your roots. I relate to Ratan Tata, he is a philanthropist, he owns a million-dollar empire and he is still so grounded. I can be a business woman and be grounded like him,” she said.