From Rejection to Recognition: The Unstoppable Rise of Miss Disability Queen Nepal
In a world where individuals are often defined by their deficiencies rather than their strengths, Nirmala Bhandari has shattered all stereotypes to become the motivating face of resilience. Miss Disability Queen Nepal 2024, Nirmala, is not just a beauty queen; she is also a national weightlifting champion, a passionate basketball player, a dedicated health worker, and the founder of the Nirmala Foundation. The journey that rejection and societal beliefs have paved for her began when a teacher perceived her as incapable due to her disability. But rather than resigning herself to fate, she rose and competed in the Asian Paralympic Games. She created history by organizing Nepal’s first-ever amputee runway show in 2025, inspiring other amputees to believe in themselves and dream bigger. Her tale is not merely about winning titles; it’s all about changing reputations.
Awards and Recognition
Nirmala Bhandari is a multi-award-winning global figure and a superstar in athletics, beauty, and disability awareness. The life story outlines the courage and tenacity of a deeply committed person in raising an amputee.
2016 – Participated in National Wheelchair Basketball, beginning her journey in adaptive sports.
2018 – Represented Nepal in the Para-Asian Games in Indonesia.
2018, 2019, 2020 – Three-time National Para Powerlifting Champion, showcasing her strength and perseverance.
2019 – Received the Most Inspiring Women Award for her contribution to disability rights and sports by UN Women.
2020 – Completed a 35-day solo tour as an amputee across Nepal, redefining freedom and independence for people with disabilities.
2022 – Selected as one of the 20 global participants for the prestigious Global Sports Mentorship Program.
2024 – Established the Nirmala Foundation to empower people with disabilities and promote inclusion through advocacy, confidence-building, and community engagement.
2024 – Took the stage confidently by performing stand-up comedy at a beauty pageant, “Miss Disability Queen Nepal,” and won the title “Miss Disability Queen Nepal 2024 and Best Personality.”
2025 – Created history by organizing Nepal’s first amputee runway show, “Amputee Runway Nepal 2025, “giving visibility and voice to the amputee community through fashion and confidence to inspire them to dream higher. This groundbreaking event was organized in association with the Nirmala Foundation.
From Interview to Inspiration: How Nirmala Bhandari’s Sports Journey Began
Before becoming Miss Disability Queen Nepal, Nirmala Bhandari’s journey into sports started with a single moment of curiosity and courage. While listening to an interview featuring an amputee athlete, she realized something powerful: amputee individuals can compete in sports.
This realization provoked her interrogative tendencies. After the interview, she approached the speaker, expressed her excitement, and made the first move. Shortly thereafter, she received a call stating that she would be invited to participate.
In 2016, she took her first steps into wheelchair basketball at St. Xavier’s Ground, beginning an entire journey combining athletic excellence and brave activism. From one act of defiance, all a lifetime’s commitment to pushing limits, reconstituting stereotypes, and empowering and inspiring fellow amputees.
Miss Disability Queen Nepal 2024
Journey From Basketball to Powerlifting
Beyond awards and accolades, her journey for the crowning of Miss Disability Queen of Nepal 2024 is one soaked in strength, bold decisions, and the courage to walk down a road that is as yet untraveled. Before Nirmala’s exposure on the national powerlifting stage, she had made a name for herself with a bold presence on the wheelchair basketball court. Her athleticism and courage had attracted the attention of the Para Powerlifting Association, which felt there was something more for her.
Though their early attempts to contact her failed, fate brought them together during a workshop. They asked if she’d be willing to try powerlifting and compete in the upcoming national championship with a shot at the Asian Para Games. Nirmala, though entirely new to the sport, agreed to train.
After preparation, she entered the competition and won. That victory led her to represent Nepal at the 2018 Para-Asian Games in Indonesia, where she covered her expenses to fulfill her dream.
Not only that, but Nirmala has also been a three-time National Para Powerlifting champion (2018, 2019, 2020), literally and figuratively. This journey has been about sheer grit, courage, and indomitable will, from the basketball court to the international weightlifting platform.
Miss Disability Queen Nepal 2024
Travel, Trust, Transform: Nirmala Bhandari’s Solo Story
In a country like Nepal, where women are generally discouraged from traveling alone, Nirmala Bhandari steps into a journey of 35 days across the length and breadth of Nepal in search of self and to connect with the universe.
The journey was arduous: Nirmala Bhandari fought through more than 505 applicants, passed several examinations and interview stages, and finally made it to a specialized program that involved self-defense training, resilience-building boot camps, and mental preparation. Her journey required proper research and planning, and she also committed to an individual walk on her own that was free from the influence of relatives or known contacts to preserve the integrity of her solo experience.
Each day brought new people, new places, and new lessons. For Nirmala, this journey became a life-changing experience; it was a powerful act of self-trust, growth, and courage.
With this experience, Nirmala has broken social barriers and proved that strength lies not in circumstance but in mindset. She has redefined the possible for women and personally disabled individuals in Nepal and opened doors for more amputees to dream bigger and travel farther. Most of all, they believe in their strength through an independent journey, and she inspires solo travelers.
Miss Disability Queen Nepal 2024
Embracing Feminine Power: The Journey to Miss Disability Queen Nepal
Even though she has now been crowned Miss Disability Queen Nepal 2024, Nirmala Bhandari never imagined herself participating in beauty pageants in the past time. In her younger years, she reveled in her tomboy persona, relishing in the boisterous posture that would come under attack when someone said she looked like a boy. She secretly loved fashion and sophistication while there was pressure to suppress her feminine side.’Her impression evolved. She learned femininity could be a force. She once declared, “To be feminine is a rare strength”. This awakening began her reception of the world she could have experienced only as an outsider.
In 2018, she contacted a fashion organization, asking to join their training program. Instead, they invited her as a speaker. That experience sparked a vision: one where an amputee like her could confidently walk the runway and redefine beauty standards.
In 2024, that vision became a reality when she was crowned Miss Disability Queen Nepal. Her journey has made her a testament to her statement, “Persons’ physical disabilities do not determine their capabilities.”
Nirmala’s story is not just about winning or defying social taboos but about realizing your strength and becoming a light for those still looking for one—inside or outside.
Miss Disability Queen Nepal 2024
Amputee Runway Nepal 2024: A Crown That Created a Movement
After winning the title of Miss Disability Queen Nepal 2024, Nirmala Bhandari wasn’t content with just the spotlight; she wanted to create a lasting impact inspired by the Miss Nepal pageant beauty with the purpose project. She asked herself, “Before I hand over my crown, what can I do to inspire others and make the Miss Disability Queen title and platform useful ?”
She had always loved fashion and admired how individuals confidently embraced their prosthetics. But she knew many amputees still lacked a platform to express themselves, so she created one.
The campaign was planned in December and launched in April, a month known for creating awareness about different disabilities and limb loss. She decided to organize the first-ever amputee runway in Nepal in 2025, allowing proud amputees to walk across the runway, breaking barriers and reinterpreting beauty standards. Including para football players, bankers, and amputees working in different fields from all over Nepal, both male and female. They walked the runway for the first time, showing confidence in their prosthetic legs and crosses by wearing designer dresses. By showing their skills and confidence, they redefined beauty. They said, “Beauty is not only your physical appearance; the real beauty is the confidence and courage to show up no matter what and move forward by encouraging others to change the societal taboos.” Nirmala was the organizer and show-stopper, too.
It wasn’t just about walking in style; it was about walking with purpose. Through this initiative, Nirmala didn’t just inspire others. She opened a door for the amputee community to be seen, celebrated, and empowered.
Miss Disability Queen Nepal 2024
Ms. Nirmala Bhandari, a para-athlete and Disability Advocate, shares her inspiring journey from losing her leg to being a Paralympic athlete. We talk about insecurities, transitioning from Basketball to weightlifting, and her journey to the 2018 Asian Games. Nirmala also shares about solo traveling as an amputee and the amputee runway of Nepal. Her inspiring journey can be viewed on the RST channel. Please like, comment, and subscribe.
