While Hyderabad is set to host the grand finale of Miss World 2025 on May 31, the prestigious event has recently been marred by controversy, especially after Miss England Milla Magee alleged that she felt “exploited” during her time at the international pageant in India.
After abruptly withdrawing from the competition, she told The Sun in an interview, “I went there to make a difference, but we had to sit like performing monkeys. It’s stuck in the past. Morally, I couldn’t be a part of it.”
In an interview with The Indian Express, Telangana government’s Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan says there are reasons for him to believe in a conspiracy to defame India and Hyderabad by Milla Magee and that his inquiry in the aftermath of these allegations has debunked these claims. He adds that the Miss World Organisation is set to sue Miss England, and the truth will come out in due course. Excerpts.
Q. Miss England, Milla Magee, has made serious allegations of exploitation and feeling ‘like a prostitute’ due to being asked to entertain sponsors. What is your official response to these claims?
Jayesh Ranjan: I have verified (these claims). I conducted an inquiry myself instead of leaving it or delegating it to someone else. I watched the videos of the events in which she participated. Everything is on record. There was only one public event she participated in where they were asked to mix with others. In that event, when I saw the footage, I found that there was nothing even remotely connected to what she was talking about.
Secondly, I asked various other participants. If one person has found something unpleasant, it is likely that many others have also experienced the same thing. I enquired with 20 others (contestants), and I asked them in a roundabout way. Not even one suggested that anyone was made uncomfortable or harassed.
The only thing they mentioned, which they said in a humorous way, was that they felt annoyed when hundreds of people came and took photographs and selfies. I explained to them about the enthusiasm of people and that no one has any bad intentions. They (contestants) also understood it.
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Q. What do you have to say about these claims?
Jayesh Ranjan: The other thing that raises much more suspicion about the context of her statements in the interview is that she also mentioned being disturbed by the poverty she saw. People begging. People starving, etc. I have been living in Hyderabad for a long time. I am not denying that poverty exists. But this type of stark poverty means that people are begging for food and are starving… I know there are some states. I don’t want to name them where low-end poverty exists.
Do you see hunger and poverty in the streets of Hyderabad? There are poor people. In Hyderabad, there are neighbourhoods known as bastis. You are in Cyberabad and Hitech City. You are not moving around bastis. It shows something unnatural. Either someone has planted this kind of thing that India is a poor country and people are starving, to defame the country. I have my suspicions. The Miss World organisers are keen to probe it.
Q. You suspect a conspiracy to defame Hyderabad and India?
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Jayesh Ranjan: Where is the truth in these claims? That there is so much poverty. So, either you are relying on an outdated image of India. Perhaps you saw a 1950s movie or read a book and still think that is India. Miss World organisers are keen to sue her for defamation. Once the trial begins, all the truth will come out. Only that investigation will reveal. We are not involved in that.
Q. Since such allegations were raised, what measures are taken to ensure the welfare and safety of contestants, especially in social settings involving sponsors and external guests?
Jayesh Ranjan: Since no such thing happened, there is nothing more that we are doing that we have not done. We have done enough. From a police perspective, there are high levels of security. We don’t want to openly disclose it. At the end of the event, I can tell. I don’t want to compromise anything. It is unbelievably secure, the perimeter of the areas where these participants move.
The contestants were made to interact with guests, I won’t call them sponsors. They were asked to interact with guests on three occasions. The guest list was personally scrutinised to see who was coming, and we ensured that an adequate number of women guests were invited. Otherwise also, when we invite a guest, family would want to join, and we encourage that.
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Q. What was the nature of your investigation? How did the Miss World Organisation react?
Jayesh Ranjan: The investigation we conducted involved asking 20 other contestants and reviewing the footage. The Miss World organisation stated that this person had taken permission to leave urgently as her mother was unwell. The Miss World organisers have faced these kinds of situations, and they have a protocol.
Typically, they want that country to be represented. They immediately called the person who was the second in their domestic contest to come instantly. Once that switchover was sorted, they allowed her to leave. This person said that she had a medical emergency at home.
Q. Telangana wishes to host many more international events. What are the learnings from hosting Miss World 2025?
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Jayesh Ranjan: We feel very very successful and very optimistic. The whole plan to prolong this event, take them to other locations, gather a lot of content, which we will use in our future tourism campaigns, and help the contestants understand the local context, local cuisine, and local way of life has been very positive.
Q. Did the Telangana government achieve the larger goals that it set out for in hosting the Miss World 2025?
Jayesh Ranjan: The goal is more in the medium term and long term. Instantly, nothing will happen. The immediate goal is to successfully complete this event, which so far has been going well and exceeding our expectations. Three more days are left, and I am very confident that it will come to a successful conclusion. The actual follow-up begins thereafter.
The purpose is to create a campaign to encourage potential visitors to visit Telangana. There is a large catchment area to which we want to convey the message that when you are interested in India, do not view it from the perspective of the Taj Mahal, a palace, or beaches. Don’t just stick to the tried and tested.
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We understand why you stick to the tried and tested, but we encourage you to push yourself to explore other parts of India. Telangana offers a huge variety, and everything will be well-structured and organised. When 110 contestants from 110 countries can come and thoroughly enjoy their experience, why shouldn’t you be the one? That is the campaign, which will unfold over the next two to three years. The real results will start to emerge only after this campaign goes live and is widely disseminated.
Q. What are the arrangements for the grand finale on May 31?
Jayesh Ranjan: It is happening at a large hall with seating for 3,500 people. The events are now at the quarterfinal stage. The 40 best contestants from the 109 are ready to compete further, and the competition, from quarterfinals to semifinals to the final, will select the winner and two runners-up before a live and television audience of millions of people.
All physical arrangements are taken care of, and planning is happening meticulously. We want to ensure that, just as the participants are comfortable, secure, and feeling quite good about everything, the visitors also experience the least amount of inconvenience and leave with pleasant memories after three hours.
