Hyderabad, 17 May

After back-to-back visits to various tourist destinations in Telangana, the Miss World 2025 contestants indulged in sports on Saturday.

A celebratory mood filled Hyderabad’s Gachibowli Indoor Stadium as the contestants practised yoga postures, then competed in badminton, chess, and other games for Sports Day on Saturday.

It was fun and frolic all the way for the contestants as they cheered each other and treated themselves to friendly banter.

Thoroughly enjoying the day, the participants also danced and waved to the crowds.

Telangana Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, and Miss World CEO Julia Morley attended the event at the indoor stadium.

Speaking on the occasion, Shukla said the Sports Day, a unique combination of sports and Miss World, sends out a message of fitness, inspiring the younger generation to remain fit and be healthy, he said.

Shukla, who hailed the mega event which saw participation of representatives from 109 countries and still more expected to join, appreciated the Telangana government for its endeavour in organising the pageant on such a grand scale.

The visits of Miss World contestants to various tourist destinations in different districts would motivate rural people, he said.

The Sports Minister, who declared the 72nd Miss World Sports Day open, hoped that the participants would become ambassadors of peace, love and prosperity for all humanity.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy would be introducing a new sports policy which prioritises sports development with a special focus on increasing women's participation, he said.

As part of this vision, the state government is setting up the Young India Physical Education and Sports University to nurture hidden talent, particularly among the rural population, he said.

This initiative would lead to greater women's empowerment and encourage more children to take up sports as a career, Krishna Rao said.

He said the primary purpose of hosting the 72nd Miss World pageant in Telangana is to introduce the state to the global stage.

Observing that tourism is one of the key industries that significantly contributes to job creation, he said exploring new places is also an act of social service as it paves the way for the generation of employment and livelihoods.