Bhubaneswar: Sadhvi Sail from Goa was crowned winner of Femina Miss India 2026 at a glittering grand finale held at KIIT University, Saturday night.
With the title win, she will represent India at the prestigious Miss World pageant. Raj Nandini Pawar from Maharashtra was declared first runner-up, while Sree Advaita G secured the second runner-up position. The winners were crowned in the presence of reigning titleholders Nikita Porwal, Rekha Pandey and Aayushi Dholakia, who handed over the crowns and sashes to the new titleholders.
The 61st edition of the prestigious pageant was hosted for the first time in Odisha, transforming Bhubaneswar into the centre of glamour, fashion and entertainment. The grand finale at KIIT Campus 13 Cricket Stadium was inaugurated with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by M Beena, representatives of the Ministry of Textiles, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan, City Mayor Sulochana Das, Times Group’s Vineet Jain and KIIT founder Dr Achyuta Samanta.
The star-studded evening was hosted by Maniesh Paul and Sara Jane Dias, who kept the audience engaged throughout the show. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Samanta described the event as a historic day for Odisha, saying Bhubaneswar was proud to host the 61st Femina Miss India for the first time. He said the City had welcomed all contestants over the past week and showcased the rich tradition, culture and hospitality of the state.
In the first stage of the competition, the top 15 contestants were selected from 30 participants, with Odisha’s Ayushi Panda earning a place among them. Each of the top 15 finalists was then given 45 seconds to introduce herself and share her journey, aspirations and personality before the judges and audience.
Ayushi, however, narrowly missed a place in the top eight. The shortlisted top eight contestants advanced to the next round, where they answered questions from the jury panel. The jury for the grand finale included Zeenat Aman, Terrence Lewis, Amaal Mallik, Simran, Celina Jaitly, Madhur Bhandarkar, Neha Dhupia, Dutee Chand and Vartika Singh.
The entertainment quotient soared with performances by Lauren Gottlieb, Ishaan Khattar and Jubin Nautiyal, besides opening performances by Odia film stars, including Bhoomika Dash and Elina Samantaray.
The successful hosting of the national final is expected to further boost Bhubaneswar’s standing as a destination for major cultural and entertainment events.
