Krystyna Pyszkova of the Czech Republic won the coveted Miss World 2024 title on Saturday at a lavish event in Mumbai; Indian competitor Sini Shetty only placed in the top 8.
Yasmina Zaytoun, Miss Lebanon, was crowned the first runner-up.
At the glamorous finale, Poland’s Karolina Bielawska, the reigning Miss World, crowned her successor.
Pyszkova, the Czech Republic’s second Miss World, follows Tatana Kucharova, the 2006 pageant winner.
The official Miss World website states that Pyszkova is a model from the Czech Republic who is pursuing degrees in business administration and law separately.
In addition to being the creator of the Krystyna Pyszko Foundation, Pyszkova is in her 20s. The model, who speaks German, English, Polish, and Slovak with ease, is a champion for education that promotes sustainable development.
“She volunteered and opened an English school for impoverished children in Tanzania, which was her proudest moment. After attending an art academy for nine years, Pyszkova has a passion for music and art. She enjoys playing the transverse flute and the violin,” according to her website description.
Shetty, who is 22 years old, represented India, which was the event’s host nation after 28 years.
Mumbai native Shetty, who won the title of Femina Miss India World in 2022, lost to Zaytoun, who finished in the bottom four.
India has won the prestigious title six times — Reita Faria Powell (1966), Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (2000), and Manushi Chillar (2017).
The 71st Miss World pageant, which witnessed participation of contestants from 112 countries, was held at the Jio World Convention Centre in BKC.
Part of the 12-judge panel for the finale included film producer Sajid Nadiadwala; actors Kriti Sanon, Pooja Hegde; cricketer Harbhajan Singh; news personality Rajat Sharma, social worker Amruta Fadnavis; Vineet Jain, MD of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Limited; Julia Morley, Chairperson and CEO of the Miss World Organization; Jamil Saidi, Strategic Partner & Host – Miss World India, and three former Miss Worlds, including Chillar.
Filmmaker Karan Johar and former Miss World Megan Young hosted the event, which kickstarted on a high note with performances by singers Shaan, Neha Kakkar, and Tony Kakkar.
A video message by Chopra Jonas highlighting the importance of ‘beauty with purpose’, a tagline associated with the Miss World pageant, was also played at the event.
Earlier, the cast of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s maiden web series “Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar” — Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, and Sanjeeda Sheikh — walked the stage with 13 fast-track Miss World contestants on the show’s newly released song “Sakal Ban”.
The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) held “The Opening Ceremony” and “India Welcomes the World Gala” in New Delhi on February 20 to kick off the month-long Miss World competition.
It included a number of intense competitions, such as talent shows, sporting events, and philanthropic endeavors, all of which were designed to highlight the characteristics that made the participants the change-agents.
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