Samuel Joshua
samuelmjoshuamjmc@gmail.com
Hyderabad
The Miss World Organisation has filed a defamation case in a British court over the allegations made by Miss England Milla Magee, Jayesh Ranjan, the Special Chief Secretary of the Tourism and Culture Department, said.
He said the Telangana government found no truth in the contestant’s claims after reviewing facts. The seating at the Chowmahalla Palace dinner, a point of controversy, was jointly handled by the tourism department and Miss World Organisation authorities, but had no connection to the incident involving Milla, Jayesh said.
He said the purpose of hosting the Miss World 2025 event was not to chase glamour or profit, but to brand Telangana globally and promote its culture and heritage.
“The real impact will start after June 2. Telangana will begin to gain visibility and international branding,” he said.
The finale on May 31 at Hitex will be attended by international guests, Bollywood stars, Ministers of various states, and ambassadors of foreign countries, he said.
Jayesh said that he personally oversaw VIP seating for 1,000 public guests.
While critics have questioned the event’s cost, Jayesh clarified that only about Rs 20 crore has been spent so far, and not Rs 200 crore as alleged.
He said that sponsors like Auro Realty, the Sudha Reddy Foundation, and Honor Homes collectively raised Rs 30 to Rs 40 crore to fund the event. The government bore only a part of the expenses, and at least 10 sponsors were involved.
On infrastructure development, he pointed out that roads, logistics, hotel accommodations, and guides were improved at sites visited by contestants. These upgrades, he said, would benefit tourism in the long run.
Asked about any economic gains, Jayesh said the focus was never on instant returns. “If 109 contestants visit Telangana, take pictures, create reels, write blogs, and give interviews, why not be the next visitor yourself?” he said, calling it a long-term branding exercise.
Jayesh, who has served in tourism roles both in United Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, said the project wasn’t challenging for him. “Telangana is already among India’s top tourist states,” he said, adding that tourism branding is not limited to the 20-day contest window. “The world’s attention begins after the event, not during it.”
Regarding political criticism, he said every action has a reaction, and the government is focused on delivering results. On the possibility of hosting the event again despite backlash, Jayesh said that if the goal of branding Telangana is achieved, they may consider even bigger global platforms.
He downplayed reports of mismanagement and said recent rains caused only minor changes in the schedule. There were no failures in conducting the competitions or tourism trips, he insisted.
Jayesh concluded by noting that every Miss World contestant has promised to act as an informal ambassador of Telangana. “I interacted with one-third of them,” he said. “They were touched by our hospitality, and they’re going back with souvenirs and stories about our culture, especially about the Kakatiya, Qutb Shahi and Asaf Jahi dynasties.”
