Beauty pageant organiser The Hidden Treasure (THT) on Thursday announced that applications for Miss Nepal 2023, the country’s most popular beauty pageant, are now open. Interested individuals can submit their applications for the pageant by March 15, organisers said at a press conference held in Kathmandu.

Women between the ages of 18 and 27 with a minimum height of 5 feet 3 inches can take part at the pageant, according to organisers. 

This year, the participants will be competing for three major titles—Miss Nepal World, Miss Nepal Earth and Miss Nepal International. 

The pageant also has 10 subtitles—Dabur Amla Miss Beautiful Hair, Cetaphil Miss Healthy Skin, Somersby Miss Refreshing, Real Miss Popular Choice, The Kathmandu Post Miss Intellectual, Tata Miss Delite, Berger Miss Glamor, Brij Cement Miss Confident, Creative D Miss Photogenic, and Farmasi Face of the Year.

Diwakar Rajkarnikar, chairman of THT, said that auditions for the upcoming edition of the pageant will take place in all seven provinces to make Miss Nepal “more inclusive”. 

Regional auditions will be held in Itahari, Birgunj, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Nepalgunj, Surkhet and Dhangadi. 

The dates and venues for the auditions will be announced later, Rajkarnikar said. Audition in Kathmandu will be held on March 18 at Park Village Hotel, Budhanilkantha.

Contestants who pass the auditions will join a two-month long grooming session conducted by some of the best trainers in the country, organisers said. 

Rachana Gurung Sharma is returning as the choreographer and creative director of the event. Creative D Studio is in charge of photography, Neelam Chand is heading the Kathmandu College Activation, and Ashutosh Shrestha is taking charge of visuals for the event.