All her life, all Rajnandini Pawar has wanted is to be able to do something for her country and represent it internationally. Today, as Femina Miss India 2026 - 1st Runner Up, this 22-year-old from Maharashtra is living her dream, a dream that has been attained by being intentional every step of her journey.

A graduate in Mass Media and Communication, she is an accomplished performer and athlete with a diverse portfolio of excellence. She has been a state-level dancer and squash player, a divisional-level swimmer, and has now transitioned to being a national symbol of purpose-driven beauty, dedicated to uplifting the voices of rural India. Rajnandini's advocacy work is centred on the empowerment of women farmers.

As the brand ambassador for Youthika, she has moved beyond awareness to direct action, conducting hands-on workshops that teach women to drive tractors and master sustainable farming practices. By providing these women with the literal tools of independence, she aims to break generational cycles of limitation and ensure that the women who feed the nation are recognised with the dignity, resources, and rights they deserve.

Skirt and top: Roseroom; Jewellery: Tanishq Natural Diamonds

Excerpts from an interview…
From state-level squash and swimming, and being a graduate in Mass Media and Communication to national pageantry. How did that come to happen?
I'd been extremely inclined towards co-curricular activities in my school. I have always given an equal amount of importance to education as well as creative expression. I've had an opportunity to represent my state, my city at divisional level and state levels in squash, swimming, and athletics.
And I've dedicated every phase of my life accordingly. Dance was also a huge part of my life growing up, I had my first-ever dance performance at the age of three. Since then, I've been in love with the stage, spotlight, being in front of the audience, and in front of the camera. And that brought me to mass media and communication because, as much as I love being in front of the camera,
I also cherish being behind it, documenting and filming life altogether. So, I'm also into film direction, and I make vlogs.
Every step in my life has been intentional - I knew that mass media and communication is a field that allows you to express yourself creatively, be it through the medium of art, dance, acting, or film direction. I also knew that I wanted to get into pageantry, so this seemed like the perfect blend of it all. As soon as I graduated, I stepped into Femina Miss India, and now I get to delve into everything else that I want to pursue further.

Can you share a bit about your journey with the Femina Miss India pageant?
It started with talent hunts and pageants while I was in college, and then finally Femina Miss India Maharashtra happened. Maharashtra is one of the toughest states to crack because the highest number of participants is from here as it is the industry hub. I am grateful to have won, after which Femina Miss India happened. Through the course of the pageant, I did not leave any stone unturned. I didn't perform in a way where I wanted to win Femina Miss India… I was performing in a way where I wanted to win Miss World from an international point of view.

What are your most cherished moments from the pageant?
In pageantry, we are told that it's a competition, so, in the end, people will treat it like that. But what we got to experience
was completely different. I got to make friends from all across the country, and, now, everywhere I go, in every state, I have
a host to welcome me. That's the kind of bond we created, and how genuine and supportive everybody was of each other
is something I will always cherish. Also, we were showered with immense love - all 30 of us can't even express in words what one feels when 40,000 people stand to welcome you. Definitely a dream-come-true moment for all of us. And, of course, eventually winning Femina Miss India - 1st Runner Up!

Blazer and pants: Rajesh pratap singh; Bralette: Victoria's Secret; Jewellery: Tanishq Natural Diamonds

Maharashtra to the national stage is a big leap. What part of your roots do you consciously carry with you to keep your work grounded?
I think it has to be the spirit of the people - whether the fearlessness with which every Maharashtrian walks with the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj or the emotional grounding that all of us carry. Maharashtra as a state - Mumbai is even called the City of Dreams for a reason - teaches you to dream, but it also teaches you to work hard for those dreams. In fact, my opening line for Femina Miss India was in Marathi - Majhi maati maajhi taakat aahe, which means my roots are my strength. And I meant every single word of it.

How has your athletic discipline shaped your approach to life?
What sports taught me is that hard work is important, but, with consistency, you keep getting better at things. There will be times when you probably won't make it the first time, but you have to be consistent enough and resilient enough to keep repeating what you're doing. And you will keep getting better at it and, eventually, you will win.

"I think you have to be delusionally optimistic about the things you want because the universe meets you at that frequency"
- Femina Miss India 2026 1st Runnerup Rajnandini Pawar

What is your approach to health and fitness?
My father is extremely inclined towards health and fitness, and he's my inspiration. I think movement, in general, is very important. For me, it does not always have to be hitting the gym or doing a certain kind of workout. On days when I don't feel like working out,
I dance. On days I don't want to dance, I play pickleball or badminton. I look forward to prioritising my diet and fitness from now onwards, because I understand that, to be a part of the industry that I want to pursue, I have to be physically fit.

While you have been working towards personal goals, you have also been working for several social causes. Tell us about your experience.
Growing up, my family taught me that one of the most important things in the world is to give back. I've seen my parents do a lot for the people around them. My paternal grandfather lives on through the stories that people tell me often, because his work lives even till today. And I wish to do the kind of work that transcends boundaries and becomes a part of my legacy. I've been part of the organisation called Youthika, where young people come together to do something beyond themselves. For women's empowerment, we had this beautiful campaign called Project Mahavari. During lockdown, we did a pan-India campaign and distributed menstrual hygiene kits, and gave lectures in schools to young girls on periods and menstrual hygiene. Today, as the brand ambassador of Youthika, I try to promote our work in the best way possible.

How do you balance the emotional weight of social work with your career in entertainment?
I know if I want to reach the sky, my feet have to be on the ground. Being able to connect with all the people that I get an opportunity to allows me to keep myself emotionally grounded. At the same time, no amount of blessings can compare to when you're able to bring joy to somebody else. A very conscious thought within me has been that I want to be able to gain so much in the world only so that I can give so much back to it. I want to reach the top of the world to contribute to the social sector and to the people around me because I genuinely love to do so. No matter what I do career wise, I will always contribute to my community and my people.

You describe being guided by your family's 'fierce optimism'. Can you share a specific moment when that mindset helped you turn a setback into a step forward?
My mother has been one of my biggest inspirations because she's taught me to look at the world through a fiercely-optimistic lens.
No matter what happens, I know it happens for the greater good. I think you have to be delusionally optimistic about the things you want because the universe meets you at that frequency. And I believe in God's plan; I try to surrender and let go, knowing that my destiny is bound to be great when I put in good intent and my hard work and soul into something. Because that is never going to go unnoticed.

You've led since your prefect days. What's one leadership lesson from school that still guides how you mobilise youth today?
Throughout my life, any opportunity of leadership I have had has taught me to take on responsibility and accountability.
I think a true leader doesn't just lead in the sense of walking alone forward, but takes their entire team together with them and grows together with the people around them. A good leader is also somebody who is able to take calculated risks, and I know that, when we think of risks, I think of Gen Z, because we're unafraid to do what we want. We will make sure that we give it a try so that we have no regrets in our lives.