Rachel Gupta is a 20-year-old Indian model who hailed from Jalandhar and won the title of Miss Grand International in 2024. However, recently, she returned her title after blaming the Miss Grand International Organisation for sexual and mental harassment. Following this, on June 2, 2024, she called a press conference and addressed the situation - which has turned into an ugly spat.
During the press conference, she revealed that the Miss Grand International organization had mistreated her and criticized them for their behavior toward her, which turned her biggest dream - to be the first Indian Miss Grand International - into a nightmare. She can be quoted saying, “It was my dream come true. But the months that followed were a nightmare. They're not what any girl should go through, let alone someone who is representing her country on an international level after many months of enduring all of the difficulties. I was put through by the Miss Grand International organization. A few days ago, I decided to officially resign, step down from my title, and return the crown back to the organization.”
Ms. Gupta made serious allegations against the MGI organization as its President Nawat Itsaragrisil and highlighted that they had harassed her by using wrong and inappropriate words. She stated, “ I'm a person who values self-respect, who values women, who values integrity. And I am not one to sit by while an organization abuses, harasses, and exploits women right in front of me, me being one of them.”
Rachel further mentioned that not only this immense pressure was also put on her, but she did not bow down, decided to return the crown, and now the contract has been terminated. While addressing the press conference, she also stated that she did not receive a single penny, according to the contract signed by her, and spotlighted that the things are fabricated by the MGI organization.
She highlighted, “I was harassed time and time again by the organizers, by the owners in particular, by Nawat and Teresa, constantly abusing me mentally, making comments about my physical appearance, and sexually harassing me in front of the whole world to see. As you can see, when I stepped down from my title just a few days ago, within 24 hours, they launched an international online smear campaign against me, taking statements from people who have nothing to do with my situation to discredit me, to ruin my reputation.”
When asked about the particular reasons behind stepping down, she once again highlighted the bad side of this beautiful-seeing world and mentioned, “ So this is why, these are the reasons why I chose to step down because no world should have to live under these conditions, no one should have to listen to the abuse, listen to the derogatory comments made by the organization constantly attacking me, my body, my country, now my family, it's never-ending with them. So, I chose to step down. They're spreading lies about me to try and save their reputation, making fake screenshots, posting lies about my age, my date of birth, anything to try and ruin my reputation.”
Rachel Gupta’s father was also questioned by the media personnel, who highlighted that the MGI organization has done and is doing very wrong with his daughter. The actions and statements by the organization, which is responsible for conducting such a high level of beauty pageants, are disrespectful and should not be entertained by anybody.
While concluding his message, Rachel’s father mentioned that the advocates of both countries are looking into the matter, and like every parent, he will be standing firmly with his daughter. He delivered a message to every young girl with a dream similar to her daughter's to take their stand and not bow down to any inappropriate or unethical behavior.
The Video Address by Rachel Gupta -
On May 28, Rachel Gupta shared an emotional and heart-wrenching video on her official social media platform and highlighted that she got “constant harassment, mental torture, and mistreatment.”
'Emotional' Rachel Gupta said she has faced what she described as the “worst few months” of her life, stating that she has been battling depression and isolation since shortly after winning the crown. “The last time I was truly happy was the day I won,” she said. “Since then, it’s just been going downhill.”
She further added, "All I have got in return is just constant harassment, mental torture, and mistreatment, and it's on a systematic level. I don't think they can ever change this, so I want you to know what I have gone through… First of all, when I joined the competition, I had absolutely no idea that countries were paying for votes and that Miss International Grand happily accepted them in the form of votes, in the form of donations. When I found out we could not afford to pay for votes, we did not have that knowledge. That's why it was so difficult to compete in terms of votes. You guys know, when I was in a personal interview, they asked me why I didn't have votes. I wasn't paying to buy votes like every other person was...Truly, the only reason I won despite all of these voting and all of these happenings is because of the amount of public support I have."
Rachel addressed her loved ones and expressed an apology while sharing this news. She wrote a note that read, “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.
This decision was not made lightly. In the coming days, I will be releasing a full video sharing the details behind this difficult journey. I ask for your compassion, your open hearts, and your continued support as I take this next step. Your love means more than you know."
Miss Grand India takes a stand…
In the middle of this ugly spat, Miss Grand India announced that it would stand firm and strong with Rachel Gupta and would break all ties with the Miss Grand International organization.
“We also take immense pride in celebrating Rachel Gupta, who brought home the first-ever Golden Crown for India at Miss Grand International 2024. Rachel, you will forever be our Queen, and your achievement marks a historic milestone for our country. We are proud to stand by you and will continue to support you throughout your reign. This marks the beginning of a new chapter, and we look forward to sharing more updates with you soon,” the official statement by the Miss Grand India read.