In 1994, Deepmala Kharel Dhakal’s mother competed in the first Miss Nepal beauty pageant. Thirty-two years later, the Nepali-Hongkonger is preparing to follow in her footsteps.
The 23-year-old was crowned Miss Nepal Hong Kong International on Thursday. Victory at the event guarantees entrance into the national competition later this year.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Kharel Dhakal has an impressive resume. She landed a job as an investment strategist with BlackRock after graduating from the University of Hong Kong in 2024.
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That same year, she was appointed to the Zubin Foundation’s Diversity List, which identifies high-calibre individuals from the city’s ethnic minority groups who could serve on advisory and statutory bodies.
“I want to carry the spirits of Hong Kong Nepalese, and not just their spirits. I want to showcase the Hong Kong Nepalese culture and … values,” she said following the coronation.
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Speaking to the South China Morning Post afterwards, she said that growing up in Hong Kong as a “third culture kid” – someone who grows up in a culture different from their parents – she often had to look to Nepal to find role models who shared her background.