Rachel Gupta, the winner of Miss Grand International 2024, has been making headlines and stirring controversy after announcing her resignation from the title. On May 28, Rachel took to Instagram to share that she was stepping down due to a "toxic environment and repeated unkept promises" during her reign. A day later, on May 29, she posted a video on her YouTube channel titled "The Truth about Miss Grand International, My Story," detailing her experiences over the past seven months.
In the video, Rachel revealed she was officially terminated from her position. She recounted distressing experiences, including being "locked in a house all day long" without access to basic amenities or sufficient food. She also alleged she was constantly criticized for her weight.
"Frankly, they don't care if I live or die. As long as I'm there to smile at their events and keep my body super skinny the way they like, they don't care about me. They just want me to go on TikTok Live, make money for them, and show up at their events. That's all they care about," Rachel said.
She further accused the Miss Grand International Organization of exploiting titleholders for profit. "They made us sell cheap, tacky products on TikTok like we were salesgirls. You've crowned queens—women with careers and respect in our countries—and you're making us push low-quality items because it makes you money. And we're not allowed to say no."
Rachel also slammed the organisation for promoting unrealistic beauty standards and body-shaming, which she said led to issues with self-esteem and mental health. She claimed she had to buy her own food and struggled to maintain her health and fitness without any support.
"I asked for access to a gym because staying fit is part of the job. But they didn't provide that. I had to beg just to get a yoga mat. Meanwhile, they kept criticising my weight. I remember once, a representative came up to me, started pinching me in different places, and said, 'You need to lose weight here and here.' It was humiliating," she said.
In the same video, Rachel alleged that some countries paid for votes during the Miss Grand International 2024 pageant and that the organisation accepted these payments, creating an unfair competition. She also raised concerns about how the organisation handled serious matters, including a sexual harassment case reportedly involving a former titleholder.
In her YouTube video's caption, Rachel wrote, "It's taken a lot of courage to speak so openly and honestly, but I truly hope this helps girls who share the dream I once had. While my story may polarise you, I urge you to focus on the issues that matter. I have screenshots and receipts for everything, but I am not willing to stoop to that level. People who believe me will do so regardless of proof. It is not easy to give back what you fought so hard to achieve, but my decision to step down is based on integrity and self-respect. Thank you for listening and supporting me."
She emphasised that walking away was not a decision taken lightly. "It takes immense courage to walk away from something you worked so hard for, but I chose my self-respect," she wrote in the video description. She added that although she had evidence to support her claims, she believed her truth would resonate with those willing to listen.
Meanwhile, the Miss Grand International Organisation has presented a different version of events. While Rachel described her departure as a resignation, the organisation released a statement claiming she was officially removed from her position. As of now, they have not publicly addressed the specific allegations raised by Rachel.
