Miss Grand International's Rachel Gupta Steps Down, Alleges Harassment
Originally appeared on E! Online
Rachel Gupta has taken off her crown for the last time.
The former Miss Grand International 2024, who won the title in October, announced she was stepping down from the role due to mistreatment and harassment from Miss Grand International Public Company Limited (MGI), the organization behind the Thai beauty pageant.
"The whole time that I was working with Miss Grand International, the last seven months,' Gupta said in a May 28 YouTube video, 'I was constantly harassed, manipulated, ignored and left to fend for myself."
In addition to her allegations that she was made to sign a 'one-sided' contract and was often left without 'basic amenities,' the 21-year-old alleged that "immediately after winning, they moved me into a cramped hotel room, where all my suitcases couldn't open properly because there wasn't enough space."
Gupta then alleged she gained weight as a result of eating takeout food since "there were no pots and pans" in the lodging provided by MGI. And then, in turn, she said the organization ridiculed her because of her weight gain.
More from E! Online
Elon Musk's Ex Ashley St. Clair Has Jaw-Dropping Response to Donald Trump Fallout
Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta's Khadiyah Lewis Dead at 44
Dakota Johnson Rocks Sheer Revenge Dress After Chris Martin Breakup
'They were hounding me, constantly talking about my weight and my body," Gupta continued in the video. "They sent a representative to me, and he just comes up to me and starts pinching me in places. He's like, 'Oh, you need to lose weight here. You need to lose weight here.' It's so embarrassing. It makes you feel so small and so bad."
Ultimately, the beauty queen decided to relinquish her title after she said she was 'stuck' in Thailand with 'no security,' unable to return to her home in India, and felt unsupported by MGI during her time there, including after $1000 allegedly went missing.
'I realized, in that moment, that these people will never support me,' she said. 'Frankly they don't care if I live or die. As long as I'm there to smile at their events, as long as I keep my body super skinny, the way they like, they don't care if I live or die.'
Shortly after Gupta published her video, MGI announced on Instagram that they had revoked her title. Later, they refuted her allegations.
"Miss Grand International Public Company Limited (MGI) issues this formal statement in response to a series of false, misleading, and defamatory claims made publicly by Ms. Rachel Gupta, former Miss Grand International 2024," the organization said in a statement to People published June 5. "Her remarks, circulated via a video published on 28 May 2025, distort facts and misrepresent her contractual relationship with MGI—relying solely on emotional appeals and tearful storytelling without any physical evidence to support her claims."
In addition to emphasizing that Gupta's claims, including allegations directed at MGI's chief operating officer, were 'rejected in their entirety' by the organization, they noted their belief in the beauty pageant.
"MGI will not allow personal attacks or manipulative narratives,' the statement continued, 'to undermine the credibility of its executives or the integrity of the organization."
E! News has reached out to Gupta and MGI for comment and has not heard back.
Read on for more stars who were formerly beauty pageant winners.
Tan France vs. Bobby BerkShannen Doherty vs. Alyssa MilanoJoJo Siwa vs. Candace Cameron BureCourtney Love vs. Olivia RodrigoDwayne Johnson vs. Tyrese Gibson For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Three killed in Russian attack on Ukraine's Kharkiv; Ukrainian drones injure two near Moscow
LONDON (Reuters) -Overnight missile and bomb strikes by Russia on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv left three people dead and 22 hurt, while a Ukrainian drone attack in the Moscow region wounded two people, officials from both countries said separately on Saturday. Russian forces used high-precision long-range weapons and drones to hit designated military targets in Ukraine overnight, hitting all of them, according to Russia's Defence Ministry. Separately, Ukraine has indefinitely postponed accepting the bodies of its killed soldiers and the exchange of prisoners of war, Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky said. This was counter to an agreement between the two countries at a second round of peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, where they said they would swap more prisoners and return the bodies of 12,000 dead soldiers. The northeastern city of Kharkiv, one of Ukraine's largest, is just a few dozen kilometres (miles) from the Russian border and has been under frequent Russian shelling during more than three years of war triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion. "Kharkiv is currently experiencing the most powerful attack since the start of the full-scale war," Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a post on Telegram earlier on Saturday. Residential buildings, educational and infrastructure facilities were attacked, he said, and photos showed buildings burnt and reduced partially to rubble, as rescuers carried the wounded away for treatment. Kharkiv regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said there could still be people buried under the rubble after one civilian industrial facility was hit by 40 drones and several bombs. In the Moscow region, two people were injured after a drone attack by Ukraine overnight and on Friday, Governor Andrei Vorobyov said on Telegram, with nine drones shot down. Russia's aviation watchdog said operations had resumed at the Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Zhukovsky airports in the Moscow region after being suspended temporarily for flight safety reasons. The Defence Ministry said that since midnight, air defence units had intercepted and destroyed 36 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory, including the Moscow region. Ukraine's air forces also shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet on Saturday morning, its military said without providing further details. Russian forces have not yet commented on the matter while Reuters could not independently verify the report. A Ukrainian drone attack deep inside Russian territory last weekend likely damaged around 10% of Russia's strategic bomber fleet and hit some of the aircraft as they were being prepared for strikes on Ukraine, a senior German military official said in a YouTube podcast set for broadcast later on Saturday.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Bill Maher explains how Trump and Musk went from ‘Brangelina' to ‘Godzilla vs. King Kong'
The fiery feud between President Trump and Elon Musk is the most exciting public breakup since the days of Brangelina, according to Bill Maher. The late-night comedian compared the public warfare and vitriol to that of 'Godzilla vs. King Kong if Godzilla was on ketamine and King Kong had a combover.' The big beautiful break-up is even more shocking because Trump and Musk were 'so close,' like celebrity couples Brad Pitt and Angeline Jolie, and Ben Affleck and Jen Lopez, whose seemingly strong but ultimately whirlwind romances gripped tabloids for decades. Advertisement 3 Bill Maher compared President Trump to King Kong if he 'had a combover.' AFP via Getty Images 'They had their own couple name: E-lump,' Maher said. But like the actor pairings, the Musk and Trump demise was a long time coming, he continued. Advertisement 'I can't really think of anything other than the Trump-Elon [fight],' Maher said in his opening monologue Frday for HBO's 'Real Time.' The talk host did a brief rundown of the pair's political breakdown, pinpointing the potential beginning of the end to Trump's meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office last week when Musk showed up sporting a black eye. 3 The feud started when Elon Musk declined Trump's offer to borrow makeup, according to Maher. Getty Images The President claimed he offered makeup to the former Department of Government Efficiency head, but was turned down, which he found 'interesting.' Advertisement 'Yeah, weird, Elon, what sort of man turns down makeup?' Maher chided. The feud slowly simmered as the pair lobbed further accusations against one another, including Musk claiming Trump's tariffs would cause a recession and the President responding that no one wants to buy Tesla's electric vehicles — but 's–t got real' when Musk claimed he was the reason Trump won the election. 3 Trump and Musk had their own couple name, Maher aid: 'E-lump.' MAX 'And Trump said, 'Well, you know what Mars is a s–thole planet.' And Musk said, 'Oh my god, you are not the same man I used to heil,'' Maher said. Advertisement The fighting has only grown worse in recent days, with Musk shockingly claiming on X that Trump's involvement in the Epstein files is the reason they haven't been released. Musk has since deleted the X post. Trump, on the other hand, has tried to play it cool, saying he hasn't given much thought to his former 'First Buddy.' 'The stakes are so high because the winner faces Blake Lively,' Maher joked, referencing the recent public downfall of the actress's previously beloved image. Any good feeling between the two men is likely gone after Musk stepped up his criticism of the Trump-backed 'Big, Beautiful Bill' — and then called for the impeachment of the president and a new political party to challenge the GOP.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Israeli forces recover body of Thai hostage killed in Gaza by terror group
Israel's military has recovered the body of a Thai man who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz and killed in captivity by terror group Kataeb al-Mujahideen shortly after the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023. Natthapong Pinta's body was brought back to Israel after an operation by the Israeli Defense Forces and Israeli Security Agency, the military said on Saturday. "Yesterday (Friday), in a joint IDF and ISA operation, the body of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai national, was recovered from the Rafah area in the Gaza Strip," the IDF and ISA said in a joint statement. His family in Thailand was notified by the Thai Embassy and by Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gal Hirsch, who serves as the coordinator for Captives and Missing Persons in the Israeli prime minister's office. Israel Recovers Bodies Of 2 Hostages From Gaza Strip: 'May Their Memory Be Blessed' Natthapong had come to Israel to work in agriculture, according to Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz. Read On The Fox News App "I send my deepest condolences to his wife, young son, and family, and I thank our heroic soldiers who, time and again, operate under fire to bring back all the hostages, out of a profound moral commitment," Katz said in a statement. "We will not rest until all the hostages — both the living and the fallen — are returned to Israel," he continued. 7 Key Takeaways From The Israeli Military's Report On What Happened On Oct. 7 The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a news release that "the recovery of Nattapong Pinta represents the fulfillment of a basic moral and human obligation, allowing his family the closure they desperately need." In a statement, the Hostage Families Forum said: "We stand with Nattapong's family today and share in their grief." "While the pain is immense, his family will finally have certainty after 20 terrible and agonizing months of devastating uncertainty," the statement continued. "Every family deserves such certainty to begin their personal healing journey." Fifty-five hostages remain in Gaza – 33 of whom are confirmed dead, but at least 20 are alive. There is grave concern for the lives of two hostages. Fox News' Yael Rotem-Kuriel contributed to this article source: Israeli forces recover body of Thai hostage killed in Gaza by terror group
