India (Commonwealth Union)_ Reena Rai, a popular transgender community activist, has returned with the highly anticipated fifth season of Miss TransQueen India. Accordingly, at this popular show, twelve contestants from across the country competed for the title of Miss TransQueen India, which was sponsored by the Deepa Ardhnarishwar Empowerment Foundation. This year, the show was a massive hit, with five champions representing India globally in international transwomen pageants such as Miss International Trans, Miss Trans Equality, Queen Trans World, Miss United Continent, and Miss Trans Infinity.
The Miss Transqueen India 2023 title was bagged by Arshi Ghosh, and Ella Dev Verma became the first runner-up, and Victoria Taying became the second runner-up. A jury of seven judges, including Rita Gangwani, Varun Katyal, and others, judged the competition. Arshi Ghosh of Mumbai, the recipient of Miss Transqueen India 2023, during her winning speech, said, “After becoming Miss Transqueen India 2023, I feel so blessed and grateful for all the love. With the help of this platform, I would like to start the gender sensitization journey from the very root of society, the rural areas of India, where I came from and became who I am today.”
The dignitary guests at this event were Dr. Narendra Kaushik and Sunanda Kaushik. The winner received a 50% discount on gender reassignment surgery, followed by a 25% discount for the first runner-up and a 10% discount for the second runner-up. A jury of seven judges, including Rita Gangwani, Varun Katyal, Yogita Bhayana, Akshesh K. Aggarawal, Neelam Saxena, Shraddha Jain, and Lizza Malik, were present to evaluate the contestants in the event. The Miss TransQueenIndia pageant was held at the Pride Plaza Aerocity in New Delhi.
Reena Rai, founder of Miss TransQueen India, expressed delight over the show. She said, “We’re excited to bring back Miss TransQueen India for its 5th season. Our goal is to provide a platform for transgender women to showcase their talent and beauty and to raise awareness about the issues faced by the transgender community. We believe that our winners will be excellent ambassadors for our country in international pageants.” Reena Rai, the founder and director of Miss Transqueen India, hosted the event with the help of Shaine Soni. Reena Rai also won the fourth season of MTQI. Additionally, Akassh K Agrawaal has assisted in the direction of this event, while Manoj Rai, the founder of MTQI and a celebrity chef, has assisted in every way possible. Apart from the Miss TransQueen India pageant, the show also inaugurated the Miss Trans Infinity international pageant. The show is sponsored by the Pride Group of Hotels, and the gala dinner and talent search venue partner is Toxsik Bar Restaurant and Club.
