- Nikita Porwal says her definition of winning has evolved
- Nikita Porwal also runs a social initiative, Maati
- She is from Ujjain, Madhya Prade
Femina Miss World Nikita Porwal is looking forward to representing India at Miss World 2026 in Vietnam, scheduled for September 5. The responsibility of carrying the country's identity on a global stage still gives her “butterflies”, she told Hindustan Times.
Nikita, who hails from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, said, “The idea of being called India, not your name, not your father's name, not your mother's name, but India in itself, gives me a lot of butterflies.”
Explaining further, she said these are the good kind of butterflies that will vanish when she will go there and turn into a lot of motivation to represent my country in its full swing.
Explaining how the definition of winning has evolved for her, Nikita Porwal said, “Earlier it was the crown. But now, since I've had so much learning in the journey, I've realised that if I get to represent my country to its utmost potential and to its utmost beauty, nothing like it.” Previously, she was crowned in October 2024.
Nikita is ready to take on the global stage by telling India's story through her attire. “The girl who was before Miss India used to tell stories in theatre, write them or do poetry. But now I've got to tell the story of my nation,” she added.
For Nikita, the art of telling stories doesn't end with the Miss World stage. Having trained in acting for six years, she is now set to make her Kannada debut and hopes to challenge the idea that beauty pageant winners cannot act. She looks up to Priyanka Chopra Jonas for building a career without industry backing, calling the actor's journey “commendable”.
She said, “The way Priyanka has come from Bareilly and made her mark in an industry wherein she didn't have any backing, any support from before, it is commendable.” Nikita is particularly keen on challenging the stereotype that pageant winners are only about beauty. “There's a very set notion that girls in Miss India, they don't know acting. They're all about beauty,” she says. “We are not given due credits for that. So, I just promised myself that I'll break that notion.” Her goal is simple: “I just want to tell stories, good stories, through a meaty, substantial character in the film.”
Nikita Porwal's desire to create an impact beyond herself extends to her Beauty With a Purpose initiative, Maati, which works with tribal communities, particularly women and children.
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