On the rainy evening of August 3, every pageantry enthusiast eagerly awaited the announcement of Miss Nepal 2024's title winners. After a wait that seemed forever, Sahana Bajracharya, the emcee, announced the names of three women whose lives changed overnight.

Clad in beautiful gowns and adorned with intricate silvery floral designs, Ashma Kumari KC was announced Miss Nepal World, Sumana KC Miss Nepal Earth, and Karuna Rawat Miss Nepal International.

Since 1994, women of different generations have created a mark in their communities and beyond, showcasing their talents and advocating for social causes through this platform. This year, 26 women from different parts of the country competed in the pageantry. Their dreams drove them and to stand up for what they believed in.

Miss Nepal International Rawat was motivated to join the platform because she wanted to use her nursing background to advocate for mental health in Nepal. Rawat, who has worked as a nurse for the past three years in Australia, flew to her home country to participate in the pageantry.

“I saw the pageantry as a platform where one could be themselves and stand up for what they believe in,” says Miss Nepal World Sumana, a professional dentist.

Ashma, who began her entrepreneurial journey when she was 18, says that her social work background influenced her to participate in pageantry and work towards many projects. “Through this platform, my voice and my projects would reach a wider audience,” she says.

Reflecting on her crowing moment, Ashma recalls, “I kept asking my precursor if this was happening for real,” as the moment felt too good to be true. Why wouldn’t she feel that way? Like festivals eagerly awaited and celebrated with lots of enthusiasm, the zeal with which Miss Nepal pageantry is observed in Nepal is no different.

It is natural for a child to be drawn by the glamorous aspect of pageantry. However, it was only after growing up that Ashma realised the platform’s impact on bringing positive change.

“For me, winning the crown and its metaphorical weight represent the impact I can make and the responsibilities I must uphold,” says Ashma, speaking from the same wavelength. She further added that winning the title is not just about glamour but also service.

The title holders mentioned that the three-month training session was crucial for their holistic development. The multidisciplinary approach of the sessions brought speakers from diverse fields, such as climate change, mental health, and women's entrepreneurship.

“The lecture given by motivational speaker Ranjit Acharya on the topic ‘Pagal Bhayou Ki K Ho’ pushed us to dream big while making us question the limitations we set for ourselves,” says Ashma, recalling their training days. Similarly, Nepali TV personality Bandana Rana’s session on women's entrepreneurship and Environmental engineer Bhushan Tuladhar’s talk on climate change challenged their established perspectives positively.

During the training, Sumana and Ashma were amazed by the direct and indirect support from unfamiliar people on social media.

“Sometimes, we fail to recognise our true potential. Hence, the encouraging messages I received on social media were eye-opening and affirming,” says Sumana. As for Rawat, she is grateful towards her mother and the Nepali community in Australia, who supported her throughout the journey.

Reflecting on the challenges faced during their journey to the crown, Sumana shares, “Adapting to the pace of pageantry was tough as others were already advanced in areas like ramp walk and makeup. Catching up to them overwhelmed me,” She added that she learned to cherish her journey by understanding that improvement is not about comparing oneself to others but about focusing on personal growth.

“The discomfort of wearing five-inch heels and having to smile constantly in rehearsal practices, along with the constant pressure to perform at my best, was a challenge that I both cherished and embraced,” says Rawat.

However, Ashma was a bit more critical of herself than she would have liked. “While constructive criticism is important, excessive self-criticism can be damaging. The feeling of not doing enough always burdened me, which ultimately took a toll on my mental health,” she says. To cast that aside, she often turned to self-help books. ‘12 Rules for Life’ by Jordan Peterson and ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ by Viktor Frankl made her less self-critical and helped her move forward.

Recounting the grand finale moments, the winners said that all the participants gathered in a circle and prayed together before stepping onto the stage. “When the finalists for the top six were announced, I was so overjoyed that I hugged our choreographer, Rachana Gurung Sharma,” says Rawat.

Sumana says, “I had a fever the night before the finale. However, when I woke up and read my journal, I felt a wave of positivity that sustained me throughout the day,” Ashma, too, woke up determined, believing that today would change her life.

She recalls, “Before we stepped onto the stage, I was relaxed and joking with the other contestants. But suddenly, I started crying for reasons I couldn’t understand. However, once on stage, I enjoyed every moment, whether it was the question-and-answer round or my interaction with the judges.”

In addition to the rigorous training sessions, the title winners mentioned that they developed certain personal qualities that helped them secure their win. Empathy, perseverance, and dedication to self-improvement were the key factors driving Sumana to the title. Ashma’s social work experience and her passion for public speaking contributed to her success. Likewise, authenticity, a positive attitude, and the value of altruism were significant factors in Rawat’s accomplishments.

As they now embrace new roles in the title, each winner is determined to work on their short-term and long-term goals. “My short-term goals include focusing on the Miss Nepal journey. However, studying global health policy abroad and becoming a global health advocate is my long-term plan,” says Sumana.

As someone who launched her own business at 18, Ashma says, “My long-term goal is to promote women’s financial independence through my project ‘Shakti’ and create job opportunities in Nepal.” Her short-term goal is to represent Nepal at Miss World and bring the crown home.

Rawat’s goal is to break the stigma around mental health and contribute to global health policies. To challenge the myth that pageantry isn’t a platform for women’s empowerment, all three winners asserted that empowerment means being able to make one’s own decisions.

Rawat adds to the discussion, “At a time when freedom and individuality are often limited, the true essence of empowerment is being able to make choices and act upon them,” Acknowledging the contribution made by the contestants this year, Ashma said, “The 26 participants of Miss Nepal—who hail from diverse professional backgrounds—represent modern Nepalese women. Pageantry isn’t just about beauty but about intelligence and self-presentation.”

As for Rawat, pageantry allows women to advocate for their cause and change perceptions. “We are judged on our merit and diversity, and women should be able to choose their path to empowerment, and this is ours,” she says.

The winners advise next year’s pageant participants to embrace the responsibilities and duties of competing. “Participating in pageantry goes beyond just winning the crown; it is about committing to personal growth and striving to improve even by just one percent each day,” says Ashma.

According to the winners, aspiring participants should cultivate a strong belief in themselves and understand the purpose of being in the pageant. Looking back on their journey, the winners say, “One of the important things that we gained from the competition was not just the crown but also friendships and feeling of sisterhood.”

All three winners, also friends, plan to travel together to the Philippines and Japan to support Sumana KC and Karuna Rawat in their Miss Earth and Miss International competitions.