Nagpur: The vibrant finale of the Ms. L.A.D Personality Contest 2026, a highlight event of the grand AURA Fest, was held on March 15 at T.B.R.A.N.’S Mundle Platinum Jubilee Hall, Nagpur. The much-anticipated event celebrated talent, confidence, and personality, drawing a large audience and marking another successful edition of the popular contest.
What began years ago as a modest platform to showcase that beauty also comes with intelligence has grown into one of the most awaited events of the college festival. Since the Platinum Jubilee year in 2007, the contest has gained remarkable popularity and is now witnessed by thousands in its present grandeur.
Gold Rate
Mar 13 2026 - Time 11.45Hrs
Unlike traditional beauty contests, the competition focuses on overall personality development rather than just physical appearance. The aim is to recognize and nurture the talents of young women while helping them build confidence, self-esteem, and the ability to face life’s challenges. Over a span of three months of intensive training, participants undergo a remarkable transformation, preparing themselves for the final stage.
A total of 29 contestants from the final year across different faculties were selected through auditions to compete in the contest. During the training period, the participants attended multiple personality development sessions conducted by renowned trainers including Dr. Harsha Jharia, Mrs. Sonal Trivedi Malkan, and Ms. Shivani Joshi, with support from Ms. Soumya Mahile, a former Miss L.A.D contestant.
The training focused on ramp walk, creative self-introduction, answering challenging questions, personality development, and dance performances, helping contestants refine their stage presence and communication skills.
Additional guidance sessions were conducted by several experts. Dr. Meenakshi Kulkarni delivered sessions on self-awareness, positive attitude, self-esteem, and inner empowerment, emphasizing that the journey of self-discovery is as important as the destination. Guest speakers included Dr. Vartika Patil, who spoke about stage presence and grooming, Dr. Kavita Jadhao, who conducted an energetic session on the path to personality excellence, and Dr. Shishir Palsapure, who guided participants on managing anxiety and nervousness.
As part of the contest, a talent round was also organized where contestants showcased their hidden abilities through various performances. The participants also took part in a special photoshoot conducted by photographer Ambreen Ali, while Vedant Photo Studio and team captured the main event.
The event was compered by Anushka Jain, Hayaa Kazi, Sarah Geevarghese, Kritika Shukla, Devika Khadia, Shreshtha Chaudhary, and Gargi Puranik, who were professionally trained by Dr. Payal Hiranwar and Dr. Aboli Vyas. The in-house DJs for the evening were Ms. Kashish Jain and Ms. Diya Waghwani, while Ms. Sharmishtha Shahane handled the social media coverage.
The panel of judges for the competition included Dr. Kavita Jadhao, Mr. Vaibhav Ganjapure, Dr. Shishir Palsapure, Dr. Vartika Patil, Mrs. Gayatri Vatsalya, and Ms. Sneha Dhobley.
The contest featured three rounds. The first round was the Introduction Round, where contestants introduced themselves in unique and creative ways. Based on their performance, participants advanced to the Top 12 Judges’ Question Round, where they answered thought-provoking questions. From there, the Top 6 finalists were selected and asked a common question to determine the final winners. The contestants also impressed the audience with a glamorous ramp walk in elegant evening gowns inspired by the Bridgerton series, complemented with creative props.
At the end of the evening, Aastha Shukla (Contestant No. 15) was crowned Ms. L.A.D 2026.
Ayushi Deshmukh (Contestant No. 17) was declared the First Runner-Up, while Humeesha Navneet (Contestant No. 24) secured the Second Runner-Up position.
Several special titles were also awarded during the event:
- Beautiful Hair: Kanjika Shriwas
- Ms. Talented: Cherisa Gupta
- Ms. Photogenic: Priyanka Runghe
- Beautiful Skin: Batool Neemuchwala
- Beautiful Smile: Nikita Usrethe
- Ms. Perfect 10: Nayanika Bhattacharjee
- Ms. Congeniality: Akanksha Tiwari
The event was directed and coordinated by Dr. Harsha Jharia, CAO of the Women’s Education Society. Sponsors for the show included Tanishq & Mia, Let’s Transform Salon, Vedant Photo Studio, Shobha Couture, Milton, and Prakash Opticals.
The programme was supported by the L.A.D Aura team led by Dr. Ahinsa Tirpude and was conducted under the guidance and supervision of Director Dr. Nanda Rathi, Principal Dr. Pooja Pathak, and Vice Principals Dr. Sumita Sapre and Dr. Ruta Dhamadhikari.
