Crown Covered in Wounds, Portrait of Rachel Gupta Stepping Back from Miss Grand International - Shocking the Pageant World

However, just seven months after being crowned, Rachel shocked the public by announcing her resignation through a 56-minute video on YouTube at the end of May 2025. In the video, she revealed various negative experiences during her tenure, including verbal harassment related to her body, a lack of financial support, and inadequate living conditions. Rachel also accused the MGI organization of unethical practices, such as alleged bribery in the voting process.

In response to the allegations, Miss Grand International strongly denied and labeled Rachel's claims as "false, misleading, and defamatory." They released an official statement accompanied by evidence in the form of photos of accommodations and email correspondence showing that Rachel had breached her contract, including undertaking projects without permission and requesting personal amenities from sponsors. The organization also stated that they had terminated Rachel's contract due to her inability to fulfill her duties as a beauty queen.

After Rachel's resignation, the title of Miss Grand International 2024 was awarded to the first runner-up, Christine Juliane Opiaza from the Philippines. Opiaza, who previously dazzled in a national costume themed on anahaw and a stunning evening gown designed by a renowned designer, was officially crowned on June 3, 2025. Her crowning marks the highest achievement for the Philippines in MGI history.

The controversy at the MGI 2024 event did not only involve Rachel Gupta. The representative from Myanmar, Thae Su Nyein, rejected the position of second runner-up and publicly stated that the competition results were unfair. As a result of this incident, the President of MGI, Nawat Itsaragrisil, severed ties with the Myanmar national team and permanently revoked their license.

Previously, Rachel Gupta had achieved various accolades in the pageant world, including winning Miss Super Talent of the World in 2022 and Miss Grand India 2024. She is also known for being active in social causes, particularly in raising awareness for mental health and helping underprivileged children in Bangkok.

In the history of Miss Grand International, several previous winners have also faced controversies. In 2015, Anea Garcia from the Dominican Republic was stripped of her title for failing to fulfill her duties and was replaced by Claire Elizabeth Parker from Australia. Parker later resigned in 2019 to compete in Miss Universe Australia.

Other MGI winners who made history include Ariska Putri Pertiwi from Indonesia in 2016, who became the first Asian woman to win the title. In 2020, Abena Appiah from the United States became the first black woman to earn the MGI crown, marking an important moment in diversity and inclusion in the pageant world.The case of Rachel Gupta highlights the challenges and pressures faced by beauty queens behind the glitz of the stage. Although the MGI organization denies the allegations made, Rachel's resignation has opened a broad discussion about the need for transparency, support, and protection for participants in the global pageant industry.