KATHMANDU, Sept 19: Former Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada has responded to online accusations of “neokid” privilege and nepotism, saying her achievements and lifestyle are entirely self-earned and unrelated to her father’s political career.
In a statement posted to social media on Thursday, Khatiwada said her photograph was misused during the Gen-Z protests, making her “collateral damage.” The campaign—initially focused on social media restrictions, rampant corruption, and the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children—gained further traction after her image circulated, she noted
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Calling herself a self-made individual, Khatiwada said she financed her studies at Harvard University without family assistance. She shared documents showing she earned Rs31.2 million after taxes through brand endorsements, advertising, and public appearances following her Miss Nepal win. Roughly Rs15 million, she added, went toward her Harvard education, with the remainder still in her personal account.
Khatiwada also clarified that her father was not a government minister when she gained admission to Harvard, rejecting as baseless the claim that his political position helped secure her place.
She further dismissed as false the allegation that she “ran away” with USD 50,000 awarded through the Miss World Beauty with a Purpose program. To counter the claim, she said, she has publicly shared a Google Drive link detailing all donors and how the funds were used.
