It’s been really long time since India won Miss World title. The last major success of India in Miss World was achieved by Parvathy Omanakuttan in Miss World 2008 where she finished second.  For the country, Miss World title is important.  The Miss World India title winners put their heart and soul in preparing for the pageant.  Hence when they don’t place high, the disappointment in huge among the fans.  In recent years, the disappointment was huge when Koyal Rana could not place in Top 5 of Miss World 2014.  She was a crown contenders and the hopes of the Indian fans were quite high.  Even today when discussions about Miss World 2014 come up, there are people who come and blame Miss World for not giving Koyal her due.  It really made us think.  Was Koyal Rana robbed?

Now Koyal Rana definitely had many strengths.  She looked like an angel and was always well-styled throughout the pageant, especially in the finals.  She was one of the performers in Dances of the World.  She looked lifeless but extremely beautiful in the red dress.  She was Top 32 in Sports and Fitness.  She was among the semi-finalists of Top Model.  She was in Top 10 of People’s Choice Award.  She was Top 5 in Multimedia Award and Beach Fashion.  The gown donned by her in Dress Designer’s Award segment by Falguni & Shane Peacock fetched the designers with Dress Designer’s Award.  She was among the five winners of Beauty With a Purpose.  Eventually she was the leader of the leader-board when Top 10 was announced.  However, she was not chosen for the Top 5 and had to settle with Miss World Asia title.

Now let us look at the other side of the coin.  Koyal was a bit too slim in Femina Miss India 2014 and her final answer in the pageant was very weak.  It was a surprise that she won, if you just consider final answers.  Although she improved her body by the time of Miss World, her personality still needed work.  She came across as a bit reserved and diffident, if we believe the words of many who met her in person.  During the debate in Miss World 2014, some say that she was not even invited to speak still she came ahead and gave a weak speech.  She was not in Top 20 of interviews which pretty much sealed her fate at the beginning of the finals itself.  It seemed that she realised that in the first half-hour of the show itself, because her stage presence was weak and she looked a bit timorous in the finals.  Stage presence is definitely one thing judges are said to be considering in selection of Top 5 from Top 10 and hence her exclusion from Top 5 is not THAT surprising.  Of course, some believe that she deserved Top 5 more than Miss England Carina Tyrell and that may be true.  But then there were other girls like Miss Mexico and Miss Brazil in Top 10 who were equally good for Top 5.

All in all, Koyal Rana deserves accolades because she put her heart and soul in preparation of the pageant and it was visible.  Her efforts deserve appreciation.  She did exceptionally well in many ways and certainly a Top 5 placement would have been a nice recognition.  At the same time, we don’t feel she was ‘robbed’.  It’s just that there were many other equally competitive girls and Koyal did have some things she could have worked on better or more, before the pageant.  2014 is long gone and it just makes sense that we let go of the matter and remember the girl fondly for doing so well for the country.

Source: Koyal Rana