‘He starts pinching me…': Rachel Gupta gives up Miss Grand International crown, organisers say title ‘revoked'; signs one might be trapped in toxic environment
Rachel Gupta, the 21-year-old model from Jalandhar who made history by becoming the first Indian to win the Miss Grand International title in 2024, has now relinquished her crown — just seven months into her reign. However, the organisers mentioned that her title has been revoked, adding that 'the crown be returned to the MGI Head Office within 30 days from the date of this notice.'
On May 28, Rachel announced her resignation on Instagram, citing 'broken promises, mistreatment and a toxic environment.' The following day, she released a YouTube video titled 'The Truth about Miss Grand International — My Story,' in which she offered an unfiltered account of her experience, levelling disturbing allegations against the pageant's organisers.
'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,' she said in the video. 'They just want me to be there, to go on TikTok Live and make money for them and show up at their events. That's it, that's all they want from me… I realised they would never, never support me, and I was completely on my own… they made us sell. You guys know they made us sell these cheap, tacky products on TikTok like we were salesgirls. You've crowned queens, girls who have careers in our country, we do things, we're well respected, and they're making us sell cheap products on TikTok because it makes them money and you can't say no.'
Rachel also described feeling physically humiliated and body shamed, saying, 'I remember one time, they sent their representative to me and he just comes up to me and he starts pinching me in different places and he's like 'Oh you need to lose weight here, you need to lose weight here'. What am I supposed to say to that? It's so embarrassing. It makes you feel so small and so bad. I understand, obviously I have to stay fit for the job I have, and have to stay in shape, but it's so difficult when you don't have access to anything and you're just locked in a house, basically all day long.'
However, on its official Instagram page, Miss Grand International released a statement mentioning that Rachel's title was revoked due to 'her failure to fulfill her assigned duties, engagement in external projects without prior approval from the organization, and her refusal to participate in the scheduled trip to Guatemala.'
'Miss Rachel Gupta is no longer authorized to use the title or wear the crown associated with Miss Grand International 2024,' it added.
Gurleen Baruah, existential psychotherapist at That Culture Thing, tells indianexpress.com, 'In such environments, a woman's body becomes a product to be displayed, measured, and controlled. Over time, this relentless pressure can lead to internalised perfectionism, body dysmorphia, disordered eating, and a haunting belief that love, success, or safety depends entirely on how you look.'
What makes it even more harmful is the emotional isolation. Baruah explains that when you're surrounded by glamour but deprived of real support or autonomy, self-doubt turns into quiet self-rejection.
One of the clearest signs of a toxic or exploitative environment is the loss of personal autonomy. Baruah states, 'When adults are denied access to essentials, and expected to perform happiness while privately struggling, it starts to mirror cult-like dynamics. Subservience is rewarded, dissent is punished, and over time, the person may begin to question their own judgement.'
Seeking help in these situations is hard, especially when power dynamics are steep and isolation is enforced. But even the smallest act of reaching out — whether it's talking to a trusted family member, quietly messaging a friend, or contacting a support organisation — can begin to break the silence.
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