Miss Nepal World 2026 seeks spotlight for advocacy, defies stereotypes

Deepmala Dhakal, Miss Nepal World 2026, is challenging conventional expectations, bringing a diverse background that includes investment strategy, a black belt in Taekwondo, and endurance achievements like running marathons and delivering TEDx talks. In a conversation with The Post, Dhakal shared insights into her pageantry journey, her navigation of public attention, and her ambition to elevate Nepal's global profile.

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We seek the spotlight not for personal fame, but to accelerate our advocacy work.

Dhakal's inspiration to enter pageantry stemmed from her mother, who competed in the inaugural Miss Nepal in 1994. Growing up in Hong Kong, Dhakal felt disconnected from local figures, finding more resonance with the confident and authoritative presence of women in pageantry. She saw it as a platform to find role models and define her own path.

Initially, Dhakal experienced self-doubt as she entered the competition, particularly with the pressure of representing the Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) community globally. A pivotal moment came during the sash ceremony when she drew contestant number 17, the same number her mother wore in 1994. This coincidence, she felt, was destiny, dissolving her fears and bolstering her confidence to focus on personal growth.

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I accepted early on that public comment would follow every photo and challenge.

Addressing the intense public scrutiny that accompanies social media, Dhakal emphasizes perspective. She views the spotlight not as a pursuit of personal fame, but as a tool to accelerate her advocacy. Dhakal, a second-generation NRN representing Hong Kong, leveraged social media to connect with the diaspora, even posting videos in Nepali despite initial self-consciousness about her accent. Embracing her identity and language publicly, she found, reduced the space for external criticism.

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Ownership over identity leaves less room for criticism.

Dhakal also pushes back against the phrase 'beauty with brains,' arguing that beauty and intelligence are not mutually exclusive. She highlights how pageantry empowers women, teaching them to command attention through posture and speech, a contrast to historical expectations in South Asian societies that women should take up less space. For Dhakal, pageantry is a comprehensive platform demonstrating that women can embody beauty, intellect, and strength simultaneously.

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I strongly dislike the phrase ‘beauty with brains’ because it implicitly suggests that beauty usually exists without intelligence.