This year's Miss Universe Nepal veered away from typical beauty pageant conventions.
Jane Dipika Garrett, 22, was named Miss Universe Nepal 2023, becoming the first plus-size contestant to win a prestigious national pageant.
The coronation ceremony was held at the Godavari Sunrise Convention Center in Nepal on Saturday, September 9, 2023.
Jane stood out among the more than 20 aspirants to take home the title and the honor of representing Nepal at the Miss Universe 2023 in El Salvador on November 18.
A nurse and business developer by profession, Jane is a strong advocate of body positivity, hormonal health, and mental health for women.
#thiccthighs
Jane, who is American-Nepalese, for a time resided in Washington, D.C. in the United States.
She doesn't see her plus-size frame as a liability and frequently shares photos of herself on Instagram with the hashtags #prettygirls, #thiccthighs, #curvy, and #thicc, to inspire the public to embrace their bodies.
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Jane said, "As a woman who is curvy and who does not meet certain beauty standards, I'm here to represent women who are curvy, who struggle with weight gain, who struggle with hormonal issues.
"I believe that there is not only one type of beauty standard but every single woman is beautiful just as she is."
She mused that "beauty transcends a single template" and "every woman possesses innate and unique beauty.”