First Miss India World from Madhya Pradesh: Meet Nikita Porwal Who Reveals Why Priyanka Chopra Is Her Biggest Inspiration| FPJ Exclusive

Hailing from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, Nikita Porwal is the Femina Miss India World 2024 and India's representative at the 73rd Miss World Festival, the 75th Miss World Anniversary Edition, to be held in Vietnam in August 2026. She made history as the first contestant from Madhya Pradesh to be crowned Femina Miss India World.

An accomplished actor, theatre artist, and storyteller, Nikita has performed in more than 60 stage productions, and also will make her acting debut soon. Scroll down to read her exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal.

An Indian beauty queen who inspires you

I have always looked up to Priyanka Chopra for being the unstoppable human being that she is. I have seen her as a girl coming from Bareli, to making her mark in Hollywood. Her journey really inspires me.

Portraying the role of Maa Sita in Ramleela as a teen

That was the first character I played in theatre, and it has been an incredible journey doing that. I did it for five years straight, from 18 to 22 years of age. Back then, I was too young to understand the gravity of the role. However, when I saw the audience carrying diyas in their hands and tears in their eyes, looking up to me as Maa Sita, that feeling made me feel so grateful. It's a role that's really close to my heart.

Was the way to the crown as easy as you make it seem?

Not really! It wasn't a cakewalk. There were days when I felt challenged because I couldn't cope. But the beauty of the pageant culture is that no matter what, you just show up and are consistent. That's how I found the strength to bounce back and keep showing up.

What, according to you, are the elements that make a woman a true beauty queen?

You won't find a person beautiful until they treat you beautifully. That is what Miss India does. It is about having a beautiful heart, a purpose and a brain, that's what makes a complete Miss India.

There is a beauty with a purpose contest in Miss World, which is the heart and soul of the festival. Every delegate gets to bring one noble cause with them, and I bring my project, Maati with me.

Your project Maati, is very interesting because you're involved with tribal women and kids... was it intentional to work with them?

Since childhood, I have been very fascinated by the forests. People ask me if I'm a mountain or beach baby, and I tell them that I love mountains, however weird it sounds.

The more I have travelled to these forests, the more I have realised that they hold a very uncomfortable truth. The communities that have been protecting our forests for generations, the ones who are closest to our soil, are actually the ones furthest from the basic necessities of life.

They are the people protecting our rivers and water bodies, yet they don't have clean water. They give us soil and healthy roots, yet they don't have food to eat, education, opportunities and skills. I had to listen to their stories and give them a model to help them sustain their communities. That's how Maati was born.

Who is the real Nikita behind the crown? Tell me about your childhood and the biggest sources of inspiration in your life?

Since childhood, I have been very curious. The kind of kid who will have questions for everything, and fortunately, I have parents who never let the child in me die.

I remember the time when I asked my father, why don't I have the entire galaxy or universe in my textbook, and just have eight planets instead. That very night, he decorated my room with tiny stars. It was his way of telling me that if I can't have the universe in my textbook, I can have it right above my head.

I was raised with so much love and intention, and that's why the child in me is still alive, and I look at life with so much wonder.

How have theatre and films have shaped your Miss World journey?

I am currently working on my debut film. I did my graduation in performing arts, and I have been intentional about being an actor from the start. Since the age of six, I have been performing and acting in theatre, and even if I were not a Miss India winner, I'd have still had the dream of becoming an actor.

My theatre journey has taught me a lot. It has given me empathy. When you play a character, you don't judge them. You don't assume things about them. I have done more than 60 plays, and that automatically made me a person who is more understanding.