Jaipur: India's delegate for The Miss Globe 2026 has changed. Miss Fusion India (formarly known as Miss Celeste India), the national pageant that selects India's representative for the international competition, has officially announced Niharika Rathore as The Miss Globe India 2026. She replaces Aditi Bhatnagar, who was crowned at the national finale in August but is unable to continue for undisclosed reasons.
The international pageant will be held in Phuket, Thailand, from October 24 to November 6, 2026.
How the succession played out
At the Miss Fusion India grand finale held at Anant Mahal, Jaipur, in August, three international titles were awarded: Aditi Bhatnagar was crowned The Miss Globe India, Maina Choudhary became Miss Planet India, and Khushbu Yadav was named Miss Ocean India. Niharika Rathore finished as first runner-up.
With Aditi stepping away, the title passed to Niharika, in line with the common pageant practice of the first runner-up assuming the crown when a titleholder cannot complete her duties. Miss Fusion India confirmed the change through an official announcement on Instagram, naming Yogesh Mishra and Nimisha Mishra as national directors.
The delegate's pageant résumé
Niharika is not new to the pageant circuit. She earlier competed at Miss Rajasthan, where a leg injury affected her performance and placement. Miss Fusion India marked her return to competition. According to the organisers, she is the first contestant from Rajasthan to represent India at The Miss Globe.
Outside pageantry, she is a first-year LLB student at Jaipur National University.
Preparation for the international stage
With just a few weeks left before the delegates arrive in Phuket, her preparation is focused on the key segments of international competition. Her international training is being handled by Fusion Pageant Training Academy and Shailza Suri, covering stage presence, communication skills and personality development, areas that matter heavily in the interview and Q&A rounds. Jaipur-based designers are working on her national costume, evening gowns and other segment wardrobes, with a design direction that blends Rajasthan's traditional heritage with modern fashion.
India's record at The Miss Globe
The Miss Globe has been organised since 2004 and became a separate pageant in 2016, when it split from its associated competitions, Miss Globe and Miss Globe International. India's only victory came that same year, when Dimple Chetan Patel won the crown in Tirana, Albania, competing against 43 delegates. Niharika now carries the task of ending a decade-long wait for India's second title.