On May 31, Hyderabad, Telangana, witnessed Opal Suchata Chuangsri from Thailand being crowned the 72nd Miss World at the grand finale held at the HITEX Exhibition Centre. This was the conclusion of a month-long journey across Telangana, which saw 108 contestants from around the world participate in immersive cultural experiences, philanthropic challenges and purpose-driven initiatives.
With Telangana hosting the 72nd Miss World Festival for the first time, and India for the third time (after 1996 and 2024), the event transformed Hyderabad into a global stage of unity and elegance. The grand finale celebrated womanhood in its most empowering form.
Opal was crowned by Krystyna Pyszková from the Czechia, the 71st Miss World, who was interview for newsindiatimes.com a couple of months ago. The evening was a celebration of beauty beyond appearances: emphasizing intelligence, advocacy and social impact. Co-hosted by Stephanie del Valle, Miss World 2016, and Indian television presenter Sachiin Kumbhar, the finale was infused with glamour and emotion. Energetic performances by Jacqueline Fernandez and Ishaan Khatter added an Indian flair to the global event.
The Miss World Humanitarian Award was presented to actor and humanitarian Sonu Sood, honored for his unwavering commitment to humanitarian work. Philanthropist and entrepreneur Sudha Reddy, who earlier hosted the Beauty with a Purpose Gala Dinner, attended as a special guest and was name Global Ambassador for Beauty with a Purpose. The evening also saw the presence of actress and Miss World 2017, Manushi Chhillar.
The competition began with the introduction of all 108 delegates, followed by the announcement of the Top 40 quarter-finalists, 10 from each continental region: Africa, Americas & Caribbean, Europe, and Asia & Oceania. Several contestants had already advanced by winning fast-track challenges such as Top Model, Talent, Multimedia, Head-to-Head and Beauty with a Purpose. The remaining semi-finalists were selected by the panel of judges after personal interviews, and their names were revealed during the live finale.
From these 40 quarter-finalists, the competition was narrowed down to the Top 20, then to the Top 8, followed by the announcement of the four continental winners. These exceptional women represented the very best of their respective regions and earned their place in the final round.
Names and countries of the 4 Continental Winners:
- Africa: Hasset Dereje Admassu (Ethiopia)
- Americas & Caribbean: Aurélie Joachim (Martinique)
- Europe: Maja Klajda (Poland)
- Asia & Oceania: Opal Suchata Chuangsri (Thailand)
The final four then faced the jury one last time, answering a thought-provoking question that tested their vision, eloquence and values. Their responses played a key role in determining the ultimate winner.
Chairwoman of the Miss World Organization, Julia Morley CBE, who presided over the jury, praised the finalists for their depth, grace and clarity of thought. Speaking after the crowning, she said: “Tonight, the world saw not just beauty, but brilliance, courage, and a call for change. Opal from Thailand has shown us that she is more than a winner—she is a woman of purpose, with a voice that the world is ready to hear.”
The first runner-up was Hasset Dereje Admassu (Ethiopia), the second runner-up was Maja Klajda (Poland), while the third runner-up was Aurélie Joachim (Martinique).
In her heartfelt first speech as Miss World, Opal expressed her gratitude and her vision for the year ahead: “This moment is not just a personal victory, it is a shared dream of every young girl who wants to be seen, heard and create change. I am honored to represent this legacy and use my time as Miss World to make a real difference.”
The Miss World edition this year shone a spotlight on India’s rich cultural heritage. Over an inspiring four-week journey, the contestants immersed themselves in cultural exchanges, community outreach and purpose-led leadership events, each experience reflecting the true spirit of ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ and its ability to inspire global change.
A significant chunk of Indian media had been invited to a kind of “Curtain Raiser” press conference a couple of months ago for the event, but neither the organizers nor the Telangana government saw it fit that after the “trailer” (the curtain-raiser) the Fourth Estate summoned then (to ensure publicity) should be even considered worthy of being invited once again to write about and show their readers at first-hand the “movie” itself—that is, the actual Miss World event! This has been a recurring leitmotif of many such companies, who shamelessly juice out the maximum publicity for themselves and then cold-shoulder the press conveniently!
So here we are, describing the event via a press-release!
