India has one of the largest beauty pageant industries in the world. Every year, several beauty pageants take place in India. While the winners and candidates of the beauty pageant are often the most talked about subjects of the pageant industry, we seldom see any beauty pageant owner or director coming under the spotlight. One such personality who created waves in the beauty pageant industry and became one of the most popular beauty pageant directors of Indian origin is Nikhil Anand – the founder and chairman of Glamanand Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. Recently, he completed 10 years in pageant industry and today, we will be looking at some of the lesser known facts about this gentleman who is often credited for revolutionizing the Indian beauty pageant sector.
- Nikhil Anand was born and brought up in Darbhanga, in the Indian state of Bihar. He completed his schooling from Darbhanga’s Jesus and Mary Academy.
- In 2010, he moved to New Delhi to pursue his higher education and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.
- During the third year of his college, he participated in Mr. North India competition held in New Delhi and became one of the finalists.
- In 2013, during the third year of his college, he established Glamanand Entertainment Pvt. Ltd (commonly referred to as the Glamanand Group).
- In 2013, at the age of 20, he became the youngest beauty pageant organizer of Indian origin. The same year, he was appointed the national director of Face of Beauty International pageant.
- In 2015, he was appointed the national director of two of the biggest international beauty pageants in the world – Miss Earth and Miss International. It was the very first time in almost 3 decades that Miss International chose a new Indian pageant director, breaking a legacy dating back to the 1980’s, even before Nikhil was born. Alongside that it was also for the very first time that Miss Earth organization appointed a new pageant director in India in last 15 years, breaking a legacy that was held since 2001.
- The year 2015 is often referred to as the year of reforms in the Indian pageant industry as two of the biggest international pageants in the world – Miss Earth and Miss International – parted their ways with the previous franchise holder after several years of association and joined hands with the Glamanand Group.
- Nikhil Anand is often regarded as the man who single handedly ended the 60-year-old monopoly in the Indian pageant industry and created more opportunities for the pageant aspirants.
- In 2017, he launched the very first international beauty pageant in India named Miss Multinational. Thus, becoming the first Indian to own an international beauty pageant.
- In 2018, he revived the discontinued Miss Teen International beauty pageant and made India home to the first and only major international pageant in the world.
- In 2018, he gave India its first major beauty pageant for teenagers and named it Miss Teen India. In 2020, he created another major teen beauty pageant in India and named it Miss Teen Diva. Today, he manages the maximum number of international franchises of teen beauty pageants.
- As of 2024, he owns the maximum number (9) of beauty pageants in India – Miss Multinational, Miss Teen International, Glamanand Supermodel India, Miss Teen Diva, Mr. India, Miss Teen Diva, Miss Teen India, Mr. Universe and Mrs. India.
- India almost withdrew from the Miss Grand International 2020 competition as the previous franchise holder could not select a delegate on time, then Nikhil took up the challenge and prepared the Indian delegate in less than a week’s time and sent her to Thailand for the international competition. This continued India’s participation streak in the international event and subsequently, he was appointed the national director of Miss Grand International competition.
- In 2023, he organized Miss Teen International beauty pageant in Cambodia. It was the first time in the history that Cambodia hosted a major beauty pageant and also the first time that an Indian-based beauty pageant held outside the nation.
- Nikhil is the only Indian pageant director that has judged a major beauty pageant outside India. He was a judge at the Miss World Philippines 2017 competition held in Manila.
- He is the youngest international pageant director in the world.
- Nikhil Anand is the largest contributor to the Indian pageant sector with 6 beauty pageant under his possession.
These were some lesser known facts for the man who is regarded as the most popular pageant director of Indian origin. His journey from being an aspiring engineering student from Bihar to become a successful entrepreneur is a pure tale of hardwork, dedication and determination.