Hyderabad: ‘Be the person that someone or the other will look up to”, is the mantra that won Thailand’s Opal SuchataChuangsri her Miss World crown at the star-studded 72nd Miss World contest here on Saturday. She became her country’s first Miss World.

“I always believe that no matter who you are and no matter how old you are, no matter what title you hold in your life, there is always a person next to you -- whether it’s a child, whether it’s an adult, it could even be your own parents -- that look up to you in a way.

And the best way to lead people is to lead with their gracefulness in your actions. That is the best thing we can do to the people around us and in our world,” said the 72nd Miss World.

She was replying to a question by one of the judges, Sonu Sood. Sood wanted to know what her Miss World journey taught her about the truth and personal responsibility in shaping how the stories are told. Incidentally, according to the Miss World website, Chuangsri was crowned Miss World Thailand 2025 on April 22, just a week before she departed to Hyderabad to participate in the 72nd edition of the Miss World. She has also represented her country in Miss Universe 2024, finishing third runner-up.

Miss World first runner-up Hasset Dereje from Ethiopia is the first ever from her country too to have reached this far in the Miss World contest. Ethiopia started sending representatives from 2003 onwards, according to the Miss World website. Answering a member of the jury, actor Rana Daggubati’s question on what it means to be a beauty queen, Dereje said she holds “so much pride” in being the first in her country to come this far.