Syed Ali Mujtaba / Hyderabad
With just 30 days to go until the grand opening Ceremony for the 72nd Miss World competition, preparations are in full swing in Hyderabad.
The beauty pageant competition is scheduled from May 7 to 31, 2025, marking the beginning of the month-long celebration of beauty and culture in Hyderabad.
The venue of the competition is the fabled Chowmohalla Palace, a private property of the Nizams of Hyderabad.
Currently, Chowmahalla Palace is owned by the ninth titular Nizam, Mir Mohammed Azmet Jah, son of Mir Barkat Ali Khan a.k.a Mukarram Jah. The palace is now open to the public as a museum and is a popular tourist destination.
Over 120 contestants from across the globe will arrive in Hyderabad. They will be staying in the Falaknuma Palace, a heritage hotel by the Taj Group, taken on a 99-year lease by the 8th Nizam.
A memorable experience has been curated for the participants. It begins with a heritage walk at the historic Charminar. It will be followed by a grand gala dinner hosted at the Chowmahalla Palace on May 7, 2025.
Recently, a joint inspection team comprising officials from Tourism, GHMC, Heritage Department, and police had visited the Chowmahalla Palace to ensure seamless execution of the events at the Ms World beauty contest.
Ms Smita Sabharwal, the IAS officer who is in charge of the Miss World competition, had visited the venue along with the joint inspection team that went to the Palace.
“The initiative aims to position Telangana as a premier tourism destination through the international platform. The Miss World event is expected to significantly enhance the state’s global visibility and attract future tourism opportunities,” she told the media.
The IAS officer added, “With meticulous planning, Hyderabad is all set to host a world-class event that blends tradition with contemporary glamour.”
Six women from India have won the Miss World competition. They are Reita Faria Powell (1966), Aishwarya Rai (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000), and Manushi Chhillar (2017).