ANI
12 Aug 2026, 23:03 GMT+10
VMPL
New Delhi [India], August 12: Under the glow of stage lights and the weight of five days of grooming, grit and quiet reinvention, New Delhi became the beating heart of India's women empowerment movement this August, as VG Miss & Mrs India 2026, Season 8, drew to a spectacular close. From the 5th to the 8th of August, Fairley's Hotels & Resorts played host to a gathering of extraordinary women, homemakers, professionals, mothers and dreamers, who arrived as contestants and departed as queens, warriors and change-makers, each carrying a story far bigger than the crown she wore.
For eight seasons now, VG Miss & Mrs India has resisted the easy definition of a 'beauty pageant.' Curated by Visionara Global under the vision of Founder Binita Shrivastava, India's No. 1 Transformation Leader, TEDx speaker, Amazon Bestselling Author and a woman who herself stepped into entrepreneurship at 49 after years of quiet struggle, and led by CEO Dr. Vishwas Srivastava, the platform has, season after season, insisted that a crown means little unless it is earned through transformation. Season 8 was no exception. Over five intensive days, finalists worked through grooming sessions, personal interviews, styling transformations and stage rehearsals, each round designed not merely to showcase elegance, but to excavate confidence that many of the women didn't know they still had.
By the time the grand finale arrived, the ballroom was no longer just a venue: it was a culmination point for months, in some cases years, of quiet preparation. Anchoring the evening was Manu Mrida as Grand Finale Show Anchor, with Khushi Saxena hosting through the week as Internal Event Host, keeping the energy alive across all five days. Behind the scenes, Kangaroo Films, led by Shikhar Shrivastava and Ravikant Jaiswal, powered the entire production as Official Media Production Partner, while Nick Mahl brought the stage to life as Official Visual Jockey Partner.
As the Crowns Found Their Queens
As the evening reached its most anticipated moment, the atmosphere shifted, the applause grew louder, the anticipation sharper, and months of preparation gave way to a crowning ceremony that honoured confidence, grace, leadership and resilience in equal measure.
In the VG Mrs India category, Prarthana Paul was crowned VG Mrs India 2026 as the winner, with Vineeta Gupta named 1st Runner Up and Divya Abhay Pandey named 2nd Runner Up.
The VG Mrs India Finesse title went to Manjula Chougale, with Veronica Lobo as 1st Runner Up and Bibi Venugopal as 2nd Runner Up.
In VG Mrs India Gracious, Archana Razdan Chibb was crowned winner, followed by Rekha Bisht as 1st Runner Up and Reena Verma as 2nd Runner Up.
The VG Mrs India Grand title was won by Aarti Oswal, with Urmila Pandita as 1st Runner Up.
In the VG Ms India category, Rachna Tandon took the crown winner title, with Radha Rana as 1st Runner Up and Nisha Chaurasia as 2nd Runner Up.
The VG Mrs India Phoenix title was awarded to Ruth Nazareth Harper, with Jaya Sahrawat as 1st Runner Up and Pina Chowdhary as 2nd Runner Up.
Crowning the evening's proceedings, Shikha Kharia was named VG MRS INDIA Global Title Winner, recognising a journey of transformation that the jury deemed representative of everything the platform stands for.
A Nation Represented: Zone and State Champions
Long before the finale, VG Miss & Mrs India had already travelled the length and breadth of the country, discovering its queens in cities and towns far from the capital. Season 8's Zonal Titles Winners reflected that reach: Pratibha Sharma took the crown for North Zone, Madhabi Roy for South Zone, Shelly Ghosh for East Zone, Dhanashree Patwardhan for West Zone, Dr. Renu Ahuja for Central Zone, and Yabom Tacha for North East Zone.
At the state level, nineteen women won State Titles of their respective States. Divya Trivedi titled as VG Maharashtra Queen 2026, Yabom Tacha titled as VG Arunachal Pradesh Queen 2026, Geeta Gupta titles as Punjab, Bharti Arya titled as VG Madhya Pradesh Queen 2026, Kanchan Agarwal titled as VG Rajasthan Queen 2026, Shelly Ghosh titled as VG West Bengal Queen 2026, Rekha Bisht titled as VG Himachal Pradesh Queen 2026, Jalpa Bhatt titled as VG Gujarat Queen 2026, Ruth Nazareth Harper titled as VG Telangana Queen 2026, and Sony Gautam titled as VG Uttar Pradesh Queen 2026. Arti Bhatnagar titled as VG Delhi Queen 2026, Manjula Chougale titled as VG Karnataka Queen 2026, Rashmi Rekha Borah titled as VG Assam Queen 2026, Smriti Misal titled as VG Tamil Nadu Queen 2026, Minakshi Sao titled as VG Chhattisgarh Queen 2026, Archana Razdan Chibb titled as VG Jammu & Kashmir Queen 2026, Vineeta Gupta titled as VG Haryana Queen 2026, Rajni Malik titled as VG Uttarakhand Queen 2026, and Sunita Khungar titled as VG Chandigarh Queen 2026.
The Warrior Titles: Honouring Courage Beyond the Stage
Not every crown at VG Miss & Mrs India is won on a runway. The Warrior Title, one of the platform's most emotionally resonant honours, recognises women who have battled personal adversity with quiet, unshakeable courage. Season 8's Warriors Titles Winners were Supriya Grover, Geeta Kumari, Amrita Singh, Veena Poojar, Ritu, Dimple, Jayashree Boke, Sheela, Pragya Kushwaha, Mona Pahwa, Darshali Nilesh Kadia, Dr. Kalpana Rewatkar Yeole, Minaxi Chauhan, Aysha Aziz, Janaki Rajashekara, Shweta Chandra, Lalita Rani and Mamta Lambhate, eighteen women whose journeys, the organisers noted, embodied resilience long before they ever stepped onto the VG stage.
Beauty With Purpose: When Crowns Are Earned Through Compassion
If Season 8 had a defining heartbeat, it was this: the conviction that true beauty is measured not in appearance, but in impact. In partnership with Ketto, Visionara Global's Official Crowdfunding Partner, contestants once again threw themselves into the platform's signature charity drive, raising funds for causes far beyond the pageant itself.
Ten finalists were singled out for their extraordinary fundraising, honoured across two tiers of recognition, five with Sashing Titles and five with the more prestigious Crowning Titles. Among the Sashing Titles, Prarthana Paul was honoured as VG Voice of Compassion 2026 for raising 50,721, Arti Bhatnagar was named VG Changemaker 2026 with 51,601, Nisha Chaurasia received VG Angel of Impact 2026 for 61,000, Geeta Kumari was crowned VG Grace of Giving 2026 with 63,802, and Shikha Kharia was named VG Ketto Queen of Charity 2026 for an outstanding 81,613. Among the Crowning Titles, Reena Verma was honoured as VG Beauty with Purpose 2026 for raising 1,15,003, Pratibha Sharma was crowned VG Charity Queen 2026 with 1,25,850, Bibi Venugopal received the VG Humanitarian 2026 title for 1,39,602, Vineeta Gupta was named VG Philanthropist 2026 with 1,51,000, and Divya Abhay Pandey was crowned VG Heart of Gold 2026 for a remarkable 1,56,000.
Together, these ten women alone raised a combined 9,96,192 for humanitarian causes, a figure that pushes Visionara Global's cumulative philanthropic contribution, built season after season since 2019, well past the 50 lakh mark. 'Tonight, we celebrate not only their grace and confidence, but also their compassion and dedication to philanthropy,' the organisers noted, adding that the initiative proves, once again, that 'true beauty isn't just seen, it's felt in every life we touch.'
The Jury: Queens Judging Queens
Fittingly for a platform built on lived transformation, Season 8's jury panel was largely composed of women who had themselves once stood where this year's finalists stood. The Main Jury comprised Shweta Anand, Model and Mindset Coach and VG Mrs India Finesse 2024, Jyotsana Rao Bakshi, Mrs Majestic International 2025 and VG Mrs India Empress Gracious 2025, Rajwant Kaur Wahn, VG Mrs India Gracious 1st Runner Up 2024, Shraddha V Nair, VG Mrs India Global Icon 2026, Seema Biji, VG Mrs India Gracious 2024, Radhika Lakra, City Director for VG Pageants Chennai and VG Mrs India Global Icon 1st Runner Up 2026, and Deep Kunwar, City Director for VG Pageants Indore and VG Mrs India Phoenix 2nd Runner Up.
The Internal Jury featured Bharti Singh, Founder of Holistic Health by Bharti and VG Global Icon Delhi Queen 2026, alongside Josephine M. Dias, VG Mrs India Empress Gracious 2025, 2nd Runner Up.
Behind the scenes, a dedicated internal team ensured the five-day production ran seamlessly. Kartikeya Shrivastava served as Head of Editorial for The Queen Code, Ishika and Khushi Shrivastava led Backstage Operations with support from intern Arshiya, and Abhishek Kumar Giri and Tushar Sharma anchored the event as Content Editor Heads.
Partners Who Powered the Platform
Season 8's grandeur was made possible through the support of an expansive roster of partners. BarelyCo served as Official Travel Essentials Partner, Biodale as Official Personal Care Partner, Hydrabae as Official Electrolyte Partner, Shortbreads as Official Cookie and Dessert Partner, Neev Herbal Handmade Soaps as Official Ayurvedic Facial Care Partner, Amalgama as Official Craft Beverage Partner, Holistic Health by Bharti as Official Holistic Care Partner, Reviva Skin & Surgery Clinic as Official Aesthetics Partner, and Wian as Official Wellness and Inner Healing Partner. Rise to Fame Production came on board as Official Production Partner, Nick Mahl as Official Visual Jockey Partner, Shy Style as Official Associate Fashion Designer, and Ketto as Official Crowdfunding Partner. Swiss School of Beauty served as Makeup and Hair Partner, Fairley's Hotels and Resorts as Hospitality Partner, Visionara Academy as Knowledge Partner, Kangaroo Films as Media Production Partner, Vishwas.ai as Official Technology Partner, and Andekha as Official Fashion Partner.
A Movement, Not a Moment
Speaking on the closing of Season 8, India's No. 1 Transformation Leader Binita Shrivastava reflected on how far the platform has travelled since her own journey began, from a homemaker navigating financial and emotional hardship to the founder of a movement that has now directly impacted over a lakh women and built a global community of more than 350,000 & with a massive 1.3+ Million Followers across her social media paltforms. Her message to the media captured the spirit of the finale:
'Beauty is not about appearance; it is about believing in yourself and having the courage to transform your life.' said Binita Shrivastava.
As Season 8 draws to a close, its winners, from national title holders to zonal champions, from state queens to the eighteen Warriors and ten Charity Title honourees, carry forward more than a sash and a crown. They carry a mandate: to lead, to mentor, and to keep expanding a movement that Visionara Global hopes will one day touch ten million women across India.
Looking Ahead
As the curtains fell on Season 8, the applause lingered, not just for the winners, but for everything the platform has come to represent. With VG City Leadership expanding Visionara Global's footprint into franchise leadership roles for its queens, and with each season adding new chapters to The Queen Code, the movement shows no sign of slowing down.
Dream. Dare. Be The Queen.
Applications for VG Miss & Mrs India Empress, Season 9, are now open. Women across India who believe they have the confidence to lead, inspire and transform their lives are invited to apply at https://binita.vip/pageant
(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
Get a daily dose of Milwaukee Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Milwaukee Sun.
More InformationHANOI, Vietnam: Vietnam has started building what it says will be the country's largest and most advanced domestically produced anti-submarine...
BUNIA, Congo: More than 2,000 people have now died in Congo's Ebola outbreak, which is spreading faster than any previous outbreak...
BOGOTA, Colombia: Rescue teams in western Colombia continued searching for survivors on August 11 after a powerful earthquake caused...
NEWARK, Delaware: Scientists are now using sharks to collect ocean data that could help predict how strong hurricanes will be before...
SHANGHAI/BEIJING, China: Heavy rain and strong winds left behind by Typhoon Dolphin flooded large parts of eastern China, soaking coastal...
WASHINGTON D.C.: The U.S. Senate has taken a key procedural step toward advancing legislation that would create a federal regulatory...
ATLANTA, Georgia: U.S. health authorities are looking into a Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers imported from Mexico, which...
(Photo credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images) The New York Mets will look to finish their nine-game road trip on a high note Wednesday...
(Photo credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images) The highlight of Luis Rengifo's 57-game stay with the Milwaukee Brewers was a three-RBI...
(Photo credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images) The Tampa Bay Rays are making the scoreboard work overtime and have a chance to complete...
(Photo credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images) Gunnar Henderson has struggled this season. But he offered a reason for optimism on Tuesday...
Minnesota [US], August 12 (ANI): US state primary elections on Tuesday delivered major victories and crushing defeats, with Minnesota...
