Prayashna Gurung (; born 13 January 2002) is a Nepalese beauty pageant titleholder and model who won the Miss Universe Nepal 2026 contest and will represent Nepal at Miss Universe 2026.
Early life and education Prayashna Gurung was born in Bhairahawa to a Gurung father and a Chhetri mother. She was raised by a single mother, who's resilience and dedication played a significant role in shaping her upbringing. She did her high school education from Daffodil School. At the age of 20, Prayashna moved to London, to study an undergraduate degree Accounting and Finance at the University of West London. She graduated with a first class honours degree in 2025.
Personal life Prayashna is married to Jason Pradhan who is based in London, United Kingdom.
Project Prayashna is the founder of "Her Dignity Project", an initiative focused on empowering woman through skill based learning, financial literacy and entrepreneurship opportunities. The project helps women develop personally and professionally.
Pageantry Teen Pageants Prayashna competed in Miss Diva Nepal 2019 as contestant number 39. She also competed in Miss SEE Global 2018.
Miss Universe Nepal 2026 After completing her degree, Prayashna returned to Nepal and entered her first national pageant, Miss Universe Nepal 2026, as contestant number 10. On 27 September 2026, Prayashna won the Miss Universe Nepal 2026 title making history as the first married woman to be crowned Miss Universe Nepal. Prayashna also won subtitle awards "Miss Popular Choice" after receiving the highest public votes and "TrueDerma Best Skin" and subsequently became the face of TrueDerma.Prayashna represented her hometown of Bhairahawa, along with the Nepalese diaspora in the United Kingdom. She continues to promote Her Dignity Project as her pageant advocacy.
Miss Universe 2026 Prayashna is currently preparing to represent Nepal in Miss Universe 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 24 November 2026. She will be performing mainly on National Costume Show, Preliminary and Final Show of Miss Universe.
References
External links Miss Universe Nepal Website Miss Universe Website