Nova
S'porean girl, 18, crowned Miss Teen Universe Asia 2026, 1st S'porean to win title
She was also named Miss Popular Choice.
October 28, 2026, 05:27 PM
Photos via riona.dighe and awan_makeup/Instagram
Singaporean Riona Krishnan Dighe was crowned Miss Teen Universe Asia 2026 at the global finals in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Oct. 25.
She was also named Miss Popular Choice, an award chosen through online public voting.
This placed her as the audience favourite among more than 30 delegates, a press release stated.
“This is honestly one of the most unforgettable moments of my life,” said Riona.
“Being named Miss Teen Universe Asia is a dream come true, and winning Miss Popular Choice makes it even more special because it means so much to know that people took the time to vote for me and cheer me on."
She expressed her gratitude to those who supported her back home, saying she is grateful to be "living her dream" and hopes that she has made Singapore proud.
Riona’s platform focused on children’s education and access, built on the charity work she has done since she was 11.
Representing Singapore
The teen represented Singapore for the regional title after winning Miss Teen Universe Singapore 2026.
For her talent segment, she performed a traditional Peranakan dance and introduced Singapore’s heritage to an international audience.
More than a pageant queen
Riona was previously Miss Teen London 2024 and first runner-up at Miss Teen Universe UK 2024.
Outside of pageants, she is an international model who has walked the New York, London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks.
She also partnered with local brand Origin Teahouse to launch a limited edition drink to raise funds for Project Pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Riona's other educational achievements include her research on applying natural language processing to Bhutan's Gross National Happiness framework.
Her research was subsequently published in the International Journal of High School Research.
She completed her A-levels at Cheltenham Ladies' College in the UK and is currently reading Business at University College London’s Global Business School of Health.
