This beauty queen from Chennai is a barrier breaker

Miss Teen Tamil Nadu 2026 Saarika Jagadeesh’s reply successful the question-and-answer circular was successful earnest, and nary bare rhetoric. What she has done successful the past points unerringly to that conclusion.

Asked what she would invent to assistance the satellite and why, 16-year-old Saarika replied:

“I would not invent. Instead, I would make opportunities for the underprivileged and the otherwise abled due to the fact that I judge that existent quality lies successful helping others. Through my initiative, the Global Raising Challengers Organisation I americium doing that.”

Saarika had been diagnosed with bilateral profound proceeding nonaccomplishment arsenic an infant, and the operation aboriginal involution and modern exertion has ensured that the satellite of dependable was not unopen retired for her.

After aboriginal involution astatine Balavidyalaya, the schoolhouse for young deaf children successful Adyar, till the property of five, Saarika joined regular schooling starting with St. Francis International School successful Kolapakkam followed by Velammal Bodhi Campus successful Mugalivakkam. The proceeding assistance is her changeless companion and her lifeline done which she does everything similar a mean child. Saarika is simply a Class XI pupil of Velammal International School.

Saarika got started connected modelling early.

Behind Saarika’s foray into modelling was her parent Srividya J., and audiologist Dr Rajarajan of Astra Hearing Care nether whose attraction she is since the property of two. “To physique her confidence, I utilized to promote her to look astatine the reflector and accidental ‘she looks similar a queen’,” says Srividya. That was important due to the fact that Saarika did look bullying astatine school.

Under the banner of “Global Raising Challengers Organisation”, Saarika has fixed immoderate she earned done modelling assignments to enactment different peculiar needs children.

Her archetypal large signifier lawsuit was astatine property of 11, wherever she won the “Junior Miss India” organised by Madarase Universal. There has been nary looking backmost since then. Junior Fab Star, Grand Gala Fashion Week, photograph shoots for advertisements and a tiny relation successful a movie lone boosted her confidence.

For the World Fashion Week successful Dubai successful 2024, she took on 3 different children with peculiar needs to locomotion the ramp on with her, grooming galore of them to look the signifier confidently.

In 2025, she conducted Tiranga, an inclusive lawsuit wherever 214 children walked the ramp to participate the London Book of Records.

Saarika admits that making friends was not casual and she took the taunts arsenic a situation to beryllium others wrong.

“As a young miss with proceeding disability, I cognize what my parents had to spell done to conscionable my aesculapian expense; the medicine that was needed to amended my speech,” says Saarika. “Modelling gave maine confidence. I privation different children similar maine who cannot walk, speak, spot and those with Down’s Syndrome to execute their dreams,” says Saarika who wants to prosecute a vocation successful law.

Srividya remembers the pugnacious hunt that had to beryllium undertaken to find a swimming manager for her. Finally, an academy took it arsenic a situation to bid Saarika nether water.

The household has a agelong database of radical to convey starting with their erstwhile neighbour Kalpana D. Kumar, a code pathologist. Kalpana nudged them to commencement aboriginal involution for the small girl.

Behind the young model’s elegant wardrobe is Sasirekha, main decorator astatine Sasi’s Bangalore Designer, who generously designs her costumes escaped of charge. A. Saffiberry, laminitis of Madrase Universal, who saw imaginable successful Saarika astatine 11 and continues to mentor her; and Malik, a casting director.

Actor Nayana Sai, laminitis of Southernwoods Model Academy, who has been grooming Saarika, says she is simply a keen perceiver and a accelerated learner who tin execute things the mode you want.

“Even if she is not capable to perceive definite words, she tries to grasp my articulator question and respond. At times erstwhile her proceeding assistance stopped functioning, she observes and picks up. Pronouncing ‘R’ oregon ‘S’ connection has been hard but she worked connected it,” says Nayana, who has trained much than 150 models.

Agreeing with Nayana, Saffiberry says Silambam moves she performed during the endowment circular she had learnt successful conscionable 2 weeks time. It gave the assemblage goosebumps, helium says.

Srividya says her husband, Jagadeesh V, was not keen connected modelling but ne'er discouraged Saarika. Jagadeesh ferries her to the galore classes she attends.

23 participants astatine expansive finale

The expansive finale of Miss Universe Tamil Nadu 2026 was held connected May 29, 2026 astatine Taj Fisherman’s Cove, bringing unneurotic aspiring contestants from crossed the authorities successful a solemnisation of beauty, confidence, endowment and empowerment.

Twenty-three contestants were successful the fray crossed Miss Universe Tamil Nadu and Miss Teen Tamil Nadu categories.

The sheet of judges included Amjad Khan, manager of franchise operations, MUI; Nikhil Anand, nationalist manager Miss Universe India; Vaamshi Uday, Miss Universe Karnataka 2025 winner; Kamakshi, Miss Universe Tamil Nadu 2025 winner; and Manika Vishwakarma, Miss Universe India.

According to a release, the winners of Miss Universe Tamil Nadu 2026 are Vaishnavi (winner); Pramiti (first runner-up); and Nikita (second runner-up). Saarika was declared victor of the Miss Teen Tamil Nadu 2026.

The lawsuit showcased not lone quality and manner but confidence, leadership, and individuality, providing a level for young women to animate and marque a meaningful impact, said the release.

Nandini Nagaraj, authorities manager for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, who organised the event, said the occurrence of Miss Universe Tamil Nadu 2026 marks different milestone successful empowering women and nurturing aboriginal ambassadors who correspond grace, intelligence, and purpose.