A new diva is in town! Meet Miss India USA 2023 Dr Rijul Maini!

(Compiled by Pavithra A)

Miss India USA 2023:

Rijul Maini, a 24-year-old medical student from Michigan, has been crowned Miss India USA 2023. (Photo | Instagram)

A prestigious pageant:

Miss India USA is the longest-running Indian pageant outside the country. (Photo | Instagram)

Venue:

This year’s pageant was held in New Jersey. (Photo | Instagram)

Other participants:

Greeshma Bhat of Virginia was declared first runner-up and Ishita Pai Raikar of North Carolina was the second runner-up. (Photo | Instagram)

A doctor-in-making:

Rijul Maini is a student of Michigan State University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. (Photo | Instagram)

According to a press release, she aspires to be a surgeon and hopes to serve as a role model to women everywhere. (Photo | Instagram)

Road to glory:

Earlier, Maini was crowned Miss India Michigan 2023. (Photo | Twitter)

Maini expressed her gratitude to her family, the pageant directors, and her friends in an Instagram post after being crowned Miss India USA 2023. “They say it takes a village and that couldn’t be more true!!”, Maini states in the post. (Photo | Instagram)

What Miss India USA 2023 said:

Rijul Maini also conveyed her gratitude towards her mother who curated the outfits she walked the stage in. “I am especially grateful for the family of amazing, strong, confident women I gained throughout this process,” she added. (Photo | Instagram)

An event with long legacy:

This year marks the 41th anniversary of the pageant which is the longest running Indian pageant outside of India. It was started by New York-based Indian-Americans Dharmatma and Neelam Saran under the banner of Worldwide Pageants. (Photo | Instagram)