City rolls out ‘red carpet’ for Miss Grand International, Rachel Gupta

Rachel Gupta, who made history as the first Indian to be crowned Miss Grand International 2024, returned home to an overwhelming reception on Tuesday. The 20-year-old beauty queen, who won the title on October 25 in Bangkok, Thailand, was greeted with a homecoming parade organised by her family.

Riding through the streets of Urban Estate in a jeep, Rachel waved the Indian flag, her green-emerald crown sparkling in the sunlight. The procession along Garha Road was a sight to behold, featuring a live band, elephants, horses, dhol beats and traditional dances, while the crowd showered her with flower petals. City residents came out in full force to celebrate their hometown hero.

A stage was set up near PIMS, where local leaders, industrialists and friends paid tribute to Rachel for making her city and country proud. Her family said Rachel’s victory is historic. She is the first Indian to wear the Miss Grand International golden crown, joining the ranks of Lara Dutta as one of India’s most successful international pageant titleholders.

Rachel, who competed against contestants from over 70 countries, reflected on her journey during a meet-and-greet event at a hotel. She also reminisced about her childhood, recalling how her father crowned her with a plastic crown on her birthdays, sparking the dream of one day wearing a golden crown.

Expressing her solidarity with the ongoing farmers’ issue, Rachel stated, “Being Punjab’s daughter, I will always support the farmers and a mutual consensus must be reached.”