A Voice Beyond Beauty: A Heartfelt Conversation with Miss Queen Kerala 2025, Durga Surendran

Winning a title often comes with silent pressure. How do you plan to protect your individuality while embracing the crown’s responsibility?

Winning Miss Queen Kerala 2025 has been one of the most defining moments of my life. But I also know that with the crown comes silent pressure — to always be perfect, to meet expectations, and sometimes, to fit into a certain image. From the beginning, my journey has been about staying true to who I am. I come from a village where dreams like mine weren’t easy to chase — and yet, I stood up, showed up, and kept going. That journey shaped my individuality by constantly reminding me of my roots, my purpose, and the people I represent. The real power of a title lies in how you use it — and I choose to use it to uplift others, to share stories of strength, and to keep walking my path with courage and kindness. I don’t lose myself in the role — I grow through it.

Tell us about a moment backstage or off-camera that shaped your understanding of the pageant world.

For me, the most defining off-stage moment was stepping onto the stage of Le Meridien for the third time. I had been there before — twice — and both times, I walked away without the crown. So during rehearsals, walking that same stage again, a thought hit me hard: ‘What if I fail again? Or… what if this is the moment everything changes?. That moment reminded me how much courage it takes to keep showing up despite past failures. Pageantry isn’t just about looking perfect on stage — it’s about persistence, resilience, and having the strength to rise again, no matter how many times you fall. That realization shifted everything for me. I wasn’t just here to win — I was here to finish the story I started.

Kerala is a land of strong women. How has your cultural background influenced the way you carry your crown?

Kerala is a land of strong women, and for me, that strength begins right from my hometown — where Lalithambika Antharjanam once lived. She was a woman who used her voice and pen to challenge deep-rooted inequalities at a time when women were expected to stay silent. Her courage to speak up, dream beyond boundaries, and stand for what’s right continues to inspire me.I’ve seen that same silent strength in the everyday women around me — my mother, my grandmother, my teachers, my neighbors. That strength now lives in me. So when I wear this crown, I don’t just carry a title — I carry the legacy of women like her. I carry the fire of every woman from my land who stood tall with quiet power. And that cultural strength is what helps me walk with pride, responsibility, and purpose.

You’ve experienced judgment both on stage and off. What does fair judgment mean to you, and have you ever felt misjudged?

As someone who has stood on both sides of judgment — being celebrated and being overlooked — I’ve realized something important: judgment is inevitable, but fairness lies in transparency and intention. To me, fair judgment means being evaluated for who you truly are, not for how well you fit into someone else’s idea of ‘perfect.’ And yes, there were times I felt misjudged — when my efforts weren’t recognized, or when I was reduced to a moment instead of my entire journey. But those moments taught me to stop seeking approval and start seeking purpose. Now, I welcome judgment — because whether it lifts me or challenges me, I know who I am. And I stand tall in that truth.

What’s one rule or norm in beauty pageants you think is outdated and needs to evolve?

One outdated norm in beauty pageants is the idea that there’s one particular body type that defines beauty or worthiness. Miss Universe Nepal 2023, Jane Dipika Garrett, beautifully shattered that stereotype. She walked the global stage with strength and pride, reminding us that beauty comes in all sizes and shapes — not just the ones we’ve been conditioned to see. There shouldn’t be a single standard that women must ‘fit into’. Pageants should not be about fitting into a frame — they should be about breaking it and building a space where every woman feels seen, celebrated, and enough.

In today’s social media age, how do you balance authenticity with public expectation?

Social media creates a constant pressure to be perfect — to always smile, succeed, and look flawless. But I’ve learned that being real is far more powerful than being perfect. I don’t try to meet every expectation. Instead, I focus on being consistent with my values, even if that means showing up raw, quiet, or imperfect sometimes. Authenticity, to me, is knowing that my journey — with its highs and lows — has meaning.

And if even one girl feels stronger because I chose to be real instead of ideal, then I’ve already made a difference.

What’s one misconception people might have about women who enter pageants — and how do you challenge it?

One common misconception is that women enter pageants only for glamour or validation. But for many of us, it’s not about being seen — it’s about being heard. Pageants give women a platform to own their voice, share their stories, and stand for something greater than themselves.

Look at Miss World Somalia 2025, Zainab Jama, who spoke out about the brutal practice of female genital mutilation, which affects 97% of women in her country. Through the Miss World platform, the world came to know about the pain and injustice faced by women and children in Somalia. This is the power of pageantry — it turns silence into awareness, and awareness into change.

And I challenge the misconception about pageants by using my own journey — coming from a small village, standing tall after failures, and using every opportunity not just to represent beauty, but to represent voice. Every time I step on stage, I carry a purpose — and that’s how I break the stereotype.

After the spotlight fades, what legacy do you want your Miss Queen Kerala journey to leave behind?

After the spotlight fades, I want my Miss Queen Kerala journey to remind people that strength isn’t loud — it’s consistent. That showing up, again and again, even after failure, is a crown in itself. I want to be remembered as someone who used the stage not just to shine, but to shift perspectives — someone who made confidence contagious, and kindness powerful. If my journey inspires others to own their truth, embrace their imperfections, and stand tall with purpose — then that will be the legacy I leave behind. I hope to be the reason someone dares to try one more time — just like I did.

Pic Courtesy: pegasus photography/ images are subject to copyright