Kathmandu, April 26 -- In November last year, Miss Nepal 2018 Shrinkhala Khatiwada's introductory video for Miss World went viral. Shot impeccably with roving drone shots and against majestic backgrounds, the video was viewed over two million times and shared across social media. Khatiwada made judicious use of social media, sharing updates and engaging with followers, earning herself a dedicated fan following. She ended up in the Miss World Top 12.

But on April 7, the reigning Miss Nepal took to social media to share a very different message.

"The problem is with the whole concept of beauty pageant. I'm a miss Nepal at the moment and I often have times when i question the relevance of pageants at all. It's a never ending battle with my...