Triumph Over Trolling: Muskan Sharma Wins Miss Rishikesh After Viral Standoff Against Moral Police

RISHIKESH, INDIA – Muskan Sharma, a 23-year-old aspirant from the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, has clinched the title of Miss Rishikesh 2025, turning a local beauty contest into a national moment of defiance against moral policing.

Sharma’s victory, announced last week, has made headlines across India, as it came just one day after a video of her spiritedly arguing with a religious group leader went viral on social media.

The incident occurred on October 3 during a rehearsal for the pageant in Rishikesh, a city famed for its ashrams and status as a holy Hindu site. Raghavendra Bhatnagar, the district head of the Hindu group Rashtriya Hindu Shakti Sangathan, stormed the venue and objected to the contestants wearing Western clothes, such as skirts and dresses.

In the viral footage, Bhatnagar is heard declaring, “This is against Uttarakhand’s culture,” and demanding the women “go back home.”

Muskan Sharma has dedicated her crown to her mother

Sharma, refusing to back down, boldly challenged his hypocrisy. “Why don’t you shut the shops which sell them [Western clothes]?” she retorted. She then directed his attention to more pressing social issues, saying, “There’s a shop right outside that sells cigarettes and alcohol. Why don’t you shut that down? First stop those things and I will stop wearing these clothes.”

When the man snapped at her to stop dictating his actions, she delivered a powerful retort: “If you have the right to choose, then so do we. Our opinion matters as much as yours.”

Supported by fellow contestants and organizers, Sharma’s refusal to be intimidated ultimately led to the group being escorted out of the premises, allowing the pageant to proceed.

The Miss Rishikesh contestants were heckled by men for their clothes during rehearsals

For Sharma, who has dreamt of modeling since childhood, the confrontation was a spontaneous reaction to seeing her hard work jeopardized.

“I could see my dreams shattering in front of me,” she told the BBC, adding that her reaction was fueled by the single question: “Will I be able to walk the ramp?”

The next day, the pageant went ahead as planned, and Muskan Sharma was crowned the winner. “It felt like a double victory,” she said. “It was a small pageant in a small place but it made me feel like Miss Universe.”

Her courageous stand is seen by many, including columnist Namita Bhandare, as a pushback against a patriarchal society that attempts to control women’s aspirations under the guise of ‘culture.’ As Bhandare noted, the issue is not about the clothes, but about “freedom and aspiration.”

Sharma credits her mother for teaching her to stand up for what is right and hopes her story will encourage other young women to fight injustice. She plans to compete for Miss Uttarakhand next, with her ultimate goal being the Miss India title.

“For me,” Sharma asserted, “the crown was always secondary. The more important thing was to encourage women to stand up against injustice, to speak up for what’s right.”