Miss Grand International 2024, Rachel Gupta, announced that she is stepping down from her reign and is returning her crown.
Gupta, who was crowned in October 2024, took to Instagram to share an official statement that this was a difficult journey for her, due to mistreatment and toxicity within the beauty pageant.
“It is with deep regret that I share this news: I have made the decision to step down as Miss Grand International 2024 and return my crown.
“Being crowned was one of the most cherished dreams of my life, and I was filled with hope and pride to represent my country and make history.
“However, the months following my crowning have been marked by broken promises, mistreatment and a toxic environment I can no longer endure in silence,” she revealed.
The 21-year-old model also revealed that she did not make this decision lightly and asked for support as she embarks on a new journey.
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Fellow beauty pageant queens and fans flooded her comment section expressing their support for Gupta.
Miss SA 2021 @lalela_mswane wrote: I’m EXTREMELY proud of you for standing up for yourself because no one talks about certain harsh realities within this space.”
“We stand with you Rachel,” @pageant_fusion_ said.
While @globa1beauty added: “This news is really hard to swallow. Sending you all my love and support @rachelgupta remember, this isn’t your fault. You’ve got this queen.”
The model further shared that she will be releasing a YouTube video detailing what occurred since she was crowned.
In the video that was released on May 28, Gupta emotionally shared her experience being Miss Grand International, describing it as “the worst few months of her life.”
“The last time I was truly happy was the night I won. And since then, it’s just been going downhill, it’s been getting worse and worse,” the model added.
“Immediately after winning, they moved me to a cramped hotel room. A small, little hotel room, and I lived in that hotel room for more than a month. From there, they shifted me to a dilapidated house,” she revealed.
The beauty queen also shared that she was weight-shamed, struggled to communicate with friends and family because she did not have a Thai phone number and that the organisation was constantly threatening to take her crown if she took certain opportunities.
The Miss Grand International organisation also took to Instagram to release an official statement to announce that they have terminated their contract with Gupta.
“The Miss Grand International Organisation hereby announce the termination of Miss Rachel Gupta’s title as Miss Grand International 2024, effective immediately
“This decision follows her failure to fulfil her assigned duties, engagement in external projects without prior approval from the organisation, and her refusal to participate in the scheduled trip to Guatemala,” it wrote.
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