Nepal, Aug. 7 -- Arya Nishaant, Miss Nepal International 2026, was born and raised in Janakpur. She is a Business Administration graduate and Academic Coordinator by profession.

In this conversation with the Post's Jony Nepal and Rivash Rijal, Nishaant discusses the friendships forged over high-stakes weeks of training, the exact second her name was called on crowning night, and why, in an industry built on being seen, she still believes the strongest thing a woman can have is a mind of her own.

What has been your biggest inspiration to start your pageantry journey?

My biggest inspirations to join pageantry were the international and national beauty queens I've seen growing up. I have seen the way pageantry has changed their lives, the...