KUCHING: She walked into Miss World as a teacher who wanted to make a difference in the lives of children. She leaves Vietnam as one of the three highest-placed women in the world.
Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty finished second runner-up at Miss World 2026, matching the country’s best-ever result after a campaign that saw her purpose away from the stage become just as important as her presence on it.
The 26-year-old reached the final three at the 73rd Miss World pageant in Vietnam, with the crown eventually going to Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic and Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés Alabern finishing first runner-up.
For Malaysia, Taanusiya’s third-place finish was a result 28 years in the making.
Not since Lina Teoh finished second runner-up in 1998 had a Malaysian gone this far at Miss World.
But Taanusiya did not reach the final stages on pageantry alone.
An English teacher and social activist, she arrived at Miss World carrying years of work centred on children and youth welfare – work that ultimately earned her one of the pageant’s most significant honours, the ‘Beauty With a Purpose’ award.
At the heart of that work is Be The Change Malaysia, the initiative she founded to promote education, emotional development and community outreach, particularly among underserved children.
And when Taanusiya was eventually placed before the judges, it was perhaps unsurprising that the teacher in her came through.
Asked about making a difference, she spoke about education and the importance of teaching children to care for the environment from an early age.
Her message was simple – lasting change begins with what the next generation is taught today.
It was a theme that closely mirrored the work she had already been doing back home.
Taanusiya’s final night began with her advancing into the Top 12, before she survived another cut to join representatives from Eritrea, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic, Spain and South Africa in the Top Six.
Then came the final result.
She fell one step short of the two women ahead of her, but third place meant Malaysia had finally returned to a position it had not occupied since 1998.
Although she did not return with the blue crown, the teacher and advocate returns with the ‘Beauty With a Purpose’ title, a place among the world’s top three and Malaysia’s best Miss World result in nearly three decades – proof that her voice travelled every bit as far as she did.
