Mumbai | Nikita Porwal from Madhya Pradesh has been crowned Femina Miss India World 2024 and will represent the country at the Miss World contest.

Porwal, who grew up in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, was declared the winner at a star-studded event on Wednesday.

"The feeling is still inexplicable, and I'm still experiencing the jitters I felt just before the crowning. It all feels surreal, but seeing the happiness in my parents' eyes fills me with gratitude. The journey has just begun, and the best is yet to come," Porwal said in a statement.

Rekha Pandey from Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Aayushi Dholakia from Gujarat were declared the first and second runners-up, respectively.

The event saw the participation of 30 state winners, who competed for the ultimate crown through a series of fashion, talent, and personality-driven rounds.

The 60th edition of the pageant celebrated six decades of transforming the lives of young women, serving as a launchpad for countless successful careers in the entertainment, glamour, and fashion industries, according to a press release.

The popular music group Band of Boys performed at the gala, where Sangeeta Bijlani, the winner of Femina Miss India 1980, captivated the audience with a power-packed performance. Actors Raghav Juyal and Gayatri Bhardwaj also took to the stage.

The jury for the pageant included Bijlani, Nikita Mhaisalkar, Anees Bazmee, Neha Dhupia, Bosco Martis, and Madhur Bhandarkar.