22-year-old Manipur girl crowned ‘Mega Miss North East’

A student of psychology department at CT Group of Institutions, Sarangthem Nirupama has been crowned the winner of the 19th edition of Mega Miss North East. The 22-year-old from Manipur will now represent her state as Miss Universe Manipur 2025 at the upcoming Miss Universe India pageant.

Nirupama’s win comes after a difficult personal journey marked by violence in her home state, mental health struggles and backlash for speaking out.

“When the conflict broke out in Manipur, I was deeply affected—mentally and emotionally. There was fear, anxiety and a constant sense of helplessness,” she said. “Studying psychology helped me understand what I was going through, and also gave me the language to talk about it.”