‘It’s been incredible so far’: Samantha Poole on Miss World pageant in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Miss World New Zealand 2025 Samantha Poole, who is representing her country at the 72nd Miss World pageant, shared her experience of visiting India.

“It has been incredible so far, and it has been just a week here in India, and we have visited many places…I started a foundation, a charity, called Anni Bloom, and it’s about blooming through your adversity. So, we work with lots of organisations and people who are struggling with disabilities and challenges in their life and we help them bloom through their adversities, helping them build confidence, spreading kindness and creating those safe spaces for them to bloom…,” she said.

#WATCH | Hyderabad | Telangana | Miss World New Zealand 2025 and representing New Zealand at the 72nd Miss World Pageant, Samantha Poole says, “It has been incredible so far, and it has been just a week here in India, and we have visited many places…I started a foundation, a… pic.twitter.com/H1ZDq8H4CM

— ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2025

“It’s been so good so far. I mean, it’s over a 100 different countries coming together (at the 72nd Miss World Pageant.),” she added.

Meanwhile, contestants of the 72nd Miss World Festival visited the Thousand Pillar Temple in Hanamakonda, Telangana.A team of Miss World 2025 Contestants explored the historic Thousand Pillar Temple. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya.

#MissWorldInTelangana :

The Miss World contestants immersed themselves in the timeless beauty of Telangana’s heritage, adorned in traditional attire as they explored the architectural marvel of #RamappaTemple, embracing its cultural grandeur and spiritual charm.#MissWorld2025 pic.twitter.com/45XbZz69O7

— Surya Reddy (@jsuryareddy) May 14, 2025

Thousand Pillar Temple, along with Warangal Fort and Kakatiya Kala Thoranam are added to the tentative list of World Heritage sites recognised by UNESCO. Clad in beautiful saris, the stunning contestants posed for the camera.

On May 14, the group split for heritage tours, with Group 1 visiting Warangal Fort, the 1000 Pillar Temple, and Bhadrakali Temple, while Group 2 exploring the UNESCO-listed Ramappa Temple, complete with a traditional Perini dance performance.

Earlier, as part of the Miss World 2025 event being hosted in Hyderabad, 109 contestants representing countries from across the globe visited the iconic Charminar in Hyderabad.

On Monday, the contestants of the 72nd Miss World Festival from the Asian and Oceanic regions, marked Buddha Purnima with a cultural and spiritual visit to Buddhavanam, a renowned Buddhist heritage site at Nagarjunasagar in Telangana’s Nalgonda district.

The heritage tour, a significant part of the festival’s itinerary, aims to highlight Telangana’s rich history and diverse cultural heritage to offer the contestants the region’s profound spiritual and historical legacy.

The day’s itinerary included a brief stopover at a guest house near Chintapalli, followed by a picturesque photo session at Vijay Vihar, set against the serene backdrop of the Nagarjunasagar reservoir. The event, which began on May 10 is set to conclude on May 31. (ANI)