The Indian woman who stood up to moral policing - and won a pageant
Summary
Muskan Sharma, a 23-year-old woman in India, defended herself against criticism for wearing Western clothes and went on to win a local beauty pageant in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. The incident of her standing up to a man opposing her attire went viral, and she said winning the pageant felt like achieving a major dream.Key Facts
- Muskan Sharma won the Miss Rishikesh 2025 beauty pageant in Uttarakhand, India.
- A video showed Sharma arguing with a man named Raghavendra Bhatnagar, who criticized her and other contestants for wearing Western dresses.
- Bhatnagar, who leads a local Hindu group, claimed modeling in such attire was against local culture.
- Sharma responded by asking why the critics didn't focus on other societal issues like drinking and smoking.
- The man threatening to stop the event was escorted out by the hotel manager.
- Sharma expressed concern that her dreams might be crushed due to the protest but was relieved the event continued as planned.
- She dedicated her victory to her mother and stated the win made her feel like she had won Miss Universe.
- Beauty pageants are popular in India and have launched careers for several women since the 1990s.
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