Canberra student Krishna Shukla has been shortlisted to compete for Miss World Australia 2020. The 22-year-old is one of two state finalists from the ACT. Born in India, Krishna Shukla has been raised in Brisbane and is now preparing for her national stint.

As a teenager, struggling with acne and feeling uncomfortable in her own skin, it was a beauty pageant during a visit to India that gave ANU student Krishna Shukla the confidence she was lacking. “At that point I was of the mindset that pageants are superficial and was very judgmental of the whole system,” says Krishna, who, six years later, has been shortlisted for Miss World Australia 2020.

Krishna’s parents moved to Australia when she was six. She hasn’t entered many pageants, but with her degree finishing up this year, she says she’s got more time to give it a real shot. “I strongly believe in representing the multicultural aspect of Australia on a global level and I also want to take part because I believe in giving back to my community. My parents have always instilled in me the importance of giving back”, she says.

Her family came with very little and all of this was possible because they had this supportive community and government which became the reason that inspired Krishna to study a degree in economics and political science, with a goal to work in government.

For Krishna, the pageant is giving her a platform to represent her culture and to highlight certain fundraisers. She usually chooses one a year to raise money for and in the past, she’s fundraised for koalas affected by the bushfires, women in developing countries and Variety, the children’s charity that supports children from abused backgrounds. She definitely seems like a strong contender for the national crown.