WeeklySA_AdminBRAINS, BEAUTY, AND BIG DREAMS: Get to know the well-accomplished women behind the sashes, global ambassadors whose purpose and ambition inspire a new generation
By Own Correspondent
They are global ambassadors whose purpose and ambition inspire a new generation. They are coders, doctors, diplomats, designers, pilots, engineers, teachers, and entrepreneurs. As the world turns its eyes to Telangana for the 72nd Miss World Festival, it will see far more than glamour on stage. Behind every sash is a story of ambition, education, and impact.
Miss World is brimming with business-minded women: from Elona Ndrecaj (Albania) to Sofía Estupiñán (El Salvador) to Maria Amelia Baptista (Portugal), all entrepreneurs running their successful businesses. Namibia’s Selma Kamanya, an economist and social innovator, adds analytical flair to the mix, while India’s Nandini Gupta, the host delegate, is turning her business studies into empowerment campaigns for women.
Kyrgyzstan’s Aizhan Chanacheva and Serbia’s Aleksandra Rutović bring hospitality to new heights as hotel managers, proving Miss World titleholders know service inside out. Colombia’s Catalina Quintero is all about international business, while Angola’s Núria Assis, a pop star singer with degrees in business and marketing, is mixing beats with boardrooms.
Across Europe, Germany’s multilingual marvel has a background in cultural studies and business, Finland’s Sofia Singh is a PR and marketing expert, and Hungary’s Andrea Katzenbach coordinates marketing campaigns with flair. Add to that Greece’s Stella Michailidou, Haiti’s Christee Guirand, and Vietnam’s Huỳnh Trần Ý Nhi, all studying business, and you’ve got a powerful delegation of future CEOs.
South Africa’s Zoalize Jansen Van Rensburg is already making waves in the professional world — at just 18, she’s a digital marketing executive.
From diplomacy to social change, these women are shaping worldviews. Thailand’s Opal Suchata, a Global Affairs graduate studying Chinese, headlines the international relations stars, joined by Sri Lanka’s Anudi Gunasekara, who recently graduated, Korea’s Min Jung, and Panama’s Karol Rodríguez.
Cayman Islands’ Jada Ramoon works with her local Chamber of Commerce, while Zambia’s Faith Bwalya, a medical licentiate, combines medicine with advocacy. And then there’s Bulgaria’s Teodora Miltenova, a cybersecurity analyst who teaches Latin dance — brains and rhythm.
The Women Who Heal
From the ER to therapy rooms, Miss World is home to passionate healers. Guadeloupe’s Noémie Milne is a medical doctor and published author. Türkiye’s Idil Bilgen, another doctor, treated war victims in Ukraine. Wales’ Millie-Mae Adams and Bosnia’s Ena Adrovic are aspiring medics, while Puerto Rico’s Valeria Perez is a master’s grad in medical technology.
In psychology, we find Belgium’s Karen Jansen, Guatemala’s Jeimy Escobedo, Lebanon’s Nada Koussa, Malaysia’s Saroop Roshi, and Poland’s Maja Klajda — future minds behind mental wellness.
Nurses are equally represented: France’s Agathe Cauet, Northern Ireland’s Hannah Johns, and Guyana’s Zalika Samuels all deliver care with compassion.
Malta’s Martine Cutajar, who has a Master’s in psychotherapy, leads with love, shaping minds and healing hearts.
England’s Milla Magee, a lifeguard and passionate CPR advocate, is on a mission to save lives in and out of the water.
From Classrooms to Cockpits
Education is a calling for many: Brazil’s Jessica Pedroso, Argentina’s Guadalupe Alomar, and Australia’s Jasmine Stringer are proud teachers. Mexico’s Maryely Leal runs educational programs, and Gibraltar’s Shania Ballester supports patients at a local care center.
The skies are no limit for Chile’s Francisca Lavandero, a commercial pilot, Somalia’s Zainab Jama, who studied aviation, and Spain’s Corina Mrazek, a flight attendant.
And if you’re planning a wedding, look no further than Scotland’s Amy Scott, a wedding and events coordinator with serious flair.
Creativity Meets Career
Art meets intellect with women like Samantha Poole (New Zealand), a digital designer, and the Philippines’ Krishnah Gravidez, a content creator and ad specialist. Fashion-forward? Kenya’s Grace Ramtu and Venezuela’s Valeria Cannavo are designers turning heads (watch out for what they will be wearing in Telangana!). And when the music plays, Latvia’s Maria Elizabete, who won the Grand Prix at an international vocal competition, which led to an invitation to perform at a major festival in Dubai, Ecuador’s Sandra Alvarado, and Angola’s Nur are ready to take the stage.
Actresses like Adrine Atshemyan of Armenia, currently playing a lead role in one of Armenia’s highest-rated television series, aired by Armenia TV,, and Athenna Crosby of the USA light up TV screens. Japan’s Kiana Tomita, a PhD student in natural disasters, is using science to make a safer world.
Mayra Delgado from the Dominican Republic is a reporter for Univision in her country, the USA, and other Latin American countries. Other television presenters are Nicaragua, Virmania Rodriguez, and Curaçao, Shubrainy Dams.
Telangana’s magnificent temples, palaces, striking modern architecture, and intricate decor are sure to captivate the eyes of our future architects — Olga Chavez of Bolivia and Alida Tomanic of Slovenia, both architecture students, as well as Anghelina Chitaica from Moldova, an interior designer with a creative vision.
Canada’s Emma Morrison, an Indigenous crafts artist, is eager to explore the rich craftsmanship of Telangana. She holds a degree in Indigenous Preparatory Studies, Tourism, and Aesthetics.
The Justice League
Future legal leaders abound — from Ireland’s Jasmine Gerhardt, a law grad with a Master’s in EU Human Rights, to Paraguay’s Yanina Gómez, a lawyer and teacher. Portugal’s Maria Amelia Baptista, Ghana’s Jutta Addo, Côte d’Ivoire’s Fatoumata Coulibaly, and Montenegro’s Andrea Nikolić are all on the path to justice.
And let’s not forget Senegal’s Mame Fama Gaye, an expert in criminal sciences, whose skills are better admired than needed in peaceful Telangana!
Engineering, Science, Tech & Sustainability
Estonia’s Eliise Randmaa codes her way through the world as a software developer. Togo’s Nathalie Yao-Amuama holds a master’s in chemistry and pharmacy, while Indonesia’s Monica Kezia, Ethiopia’s Hasset Dereje, and Zimbabwe’s Courtney Jongwe are engineering their futures.
Environmental science champions like Nepal’s Srichchha Pradhan will surely feel at home in green Telangana. And if there’s an earthquake, Myanmar’s Khisa Khin, only 17, already knows how to respond — she’s been helping survivors in her home country.
From designing infrastructure to optimizing transport systems, this year’s Miss World engineers are building more than dreams — Peru’s Staisy Huamansisa specializes in logistics and transportation, Zimbabwe’s Courtney Tadiwanashe Jongwe is studying chemical and processing engineering, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Anna-Lise Nanton is carving her path as a geotechnical engineer.
Sweden’s Isabelle Ahs, a former navy officer who once sailed across Europe and beyond, now brings together science and religion in her academic journey. And these are just a few examples — every Miss World representative arrives with a story of ambition, determination, and the professional skills to take on the world.
From runways to research labs, from courtrooms to cockpits, the women of the 72nd Miss World Festival are not just the faces of beauty — they are trailblazers, changemakers, and future leaders. As they gather in Telangana, one message rings clear: The future is female — and it’s already here.
