Miss Ireland Shares Her Plans for Competing in Miss Universe After a Challenging Experience
Miss Ireland Aadya Srivastava during Miss Universe 2025 preliminaries.
Credit:
Mohan Raj/Getty
### Miss Universe 2025 Recap: Controversies Mark Event
On November 21, the Miss Universe Organization crowned Fátima Bosch of Mexico as the winner of the 74th edition of the pageant held in Bangkok. The event attracted a record 2.6 billion viewers but was marred by multiple controversies, including allegations of judging misconduct, which the organization has denied.
In the days leading up to the final competition, tensions escalated after a heated confrontation between pageant official Nawat Itsaragrisil and contestant Fátima Bosch was broadcast in a livestream. Following the incident, Miss Universe owner Raul Rocha announced sanctions against Itsaragrisil, banning him from future events. Days later, musician Omar Harfouch resigned from the selection committee and made several misconduct allegations on social media, further adding to the controversy.
Amidst these challenges, Irish contestant Aadya Srivastava reflected on her experience, which marked her debut in pageantry. “It was a very emotional day for all of us in different ways. It was stressful. It was upsetting, and we all just wanted the best for each contestant,” Srivastava said.
While the event was enveloped in drama, Srivastava highlighted the strong bonds formed among contestants. “We walked into the pageant, and within a few days there was chaos. That really brought all of the girls together,” she remarked. With just 19 years of age, Srivastava was among the youngest participants and focused on learning from her fellow competitors.
Reflecting on the overall pageant climate, Srivastava stated, “It wasn’t really for the competition. For me, it was more to get in there and learn about pageantry from all of the other girls firsthand.” Despite the tumultuous experience in Thailand, she expressed her intent to continue participating in pageants in the future.
“Would I do Miss Universe again? No. But would I still continue with pageants? I would love to,” she affirmed.
This year’s pageant will likely leave a lasting impact on both contestants and organizers, raising questions about the ongoing evolution of the Miss Universe brand in an increasingly scrutinized landscape.
Fátima Bosch wins Miss Universe 2025.
Arnun Chonmahatrakool/Thai News Pix/LightRocket via Getty
Miss Ireland Aadya Srivastava.
RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA/Shutterstock
