E-Paper
Google techie Umanga Kumawat took 40 days off work to chase Miss Universe dream: ‘It wasn’t easy’
Umanga Kumawat spoke to Hindustantimes.com about juggling her Google job with Miss Universe India, the beauty pageant where she made it to the top 20.
Prefer HTon Google
How does one go from the rigours of engineering at Google to the glitz and glam of a national beauty pageant? The answer, for Umanga Kumawat, is part serendipity and part hard work. The 28-year-old from Madhya Pradesh made headlines when she posted a video about returning to the Google office days after participating in Miss Universe India. Umanga has now opened up about her journey in a conversation with Hindustantimes.com.
A graduate of IIITM Gwalior, Umanga’s career began when she landed a job at Google through campus placement in 2022.
“I still remember getting the news that I’d been selected… It was one of those moments when you just pause and feel grateful, and it will always be one of my happiest memories,” she said, adding that her parents’ happiness made the moment all the more special.
From Google to Miss Universe India
Umanga Kumawat, originally from Madhya Pradesh, is currently a cloud engineer at Google. She has been based in Bengaluru for the last few years, where she works from the company’s Ananta office.
So how did she trade coding for high heels and ball gowns? The truth is that she didn’t.
Umanga told Hindustantimes.com that she took 35 to 40 days of leave to participate in Miss Universe India, where she placed in the top 20. Kaziah Liz Mejo from Kerala went on to win the beauty pageant.
No industry connections
The decision to participate in Miss Universe Madhya Pradesh, and later on in Miss Universe India, also happened quite by chance. Umanga clarified that she has no connections in the industry and felt like a complete newbie alongside more experienced participants.
“Honestly, it was a gut feeling that I could do well, so I decided to give it a shot this year! I didn’t know much about the industry or have any connections. I started training in March this year, went to a different city and prepared for about three months,” she revealed.
The Google techie initially felt out of place in the world of beauty pageants, saying that she suffered from stage fright.
“When I started, I couldn’t even take one proper step in heels! I was very shy and had stage fright. To go from that to walking in six-inch heels on national television, with cameras all around and someone like Sushmita Sen judging me—it still feels unreal.
“I’ve loved that transformation in myself, and I’m so proud that I trusted my instinct and gave myself that chance,” Umanga said.
“I was competing with models and girls who had been preparing for pageants for years. This was my first-ever pageant, my first time walking the ramp, my first experience of this industry!” she added.
Juggling pageant training with work
“Managing it alongside work wasn’t easy!” the 28-year-old acknowledged.
Participation in Miss Universe India required three months of rigorous training, which the Google techie managed to juggle with work. Then came the actual pageant, for which she took around 40 days of leave.
Fortunately, her team and her manager at Google were supportive. The vice president of the division even messaged her to voice support.
“The competition lasted around 35–40 days, and I took leave for that period,” Umanga told Hindustantimes.com.
“Getting messages from our vice president saying he was extremely proud of me and supported me on this journey made me feel so grateful to be part of a culture like this.
“Our director, my manager and my team were all very supportive.
“Waking up to those messages and realising that my journey had encouraged someone else to pursue something they loved was such a special feeling. That’s something I’ll always be grateful for,” she said.
Biggest perk of working at Google
For Umanga, being surrounded by supportive and smart colleagues is one of the biggest perks of working at Google. The company’s famous free food for employees comes a close second.
“The biggest perk for me is being surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the industry—people who have built and are building incredible things in tech,” Umanga said.
(Also read: ‘Perks at Google’: Bengaluru techie forgets headphones, shows how office vending machine saves the day)
“I feel Google as a company really values its employees, and that’s what I respect and love most about working here. Having the room to explore my creativity and pursue interests outside work, I’ve truly valued that balance. I’m proud to be a Googler and very grateful to have started my career here. It will always hold a very special place in my life!” she elaborated.
“And yes, the food deserves its own answer! The food team and the staff who look after us make everyday office life feel special. Also the focus on fitness and well-being,” the cloud engineer added.
Her time at Miss Universe India
Umanga Kumawat’s professional success can be attributed to the hard work she puts into everything she does. Take, for example, the way she prepared for Miss Universe India.
Despite having no background in pageantry, she trained hard — spending hours after her 9-to-5 job to practice walking.
“I remember going down to the basement of my society to practise my walk after work every night! It was painful, and doing it every single day wasn’t easy. But I really wanted to give this my hundred per cent, so I kept showing up,” she said.
When she began, she had trouble walking in heels. “I went from not knowing how to take even one proper step in heels to practising in six-inch heels for four or five hours.
“I stayed in a different city for a few months and took classes, and I used to practise outside my work hours. Looking back, I’m extremely proud of my journey,” she said.
All the hard work paid off when she finally took the stage at Miss Universe India.
“Walking on the Miss Universe India stage in my gown, under those lights, with the entire country watching—those 15–20 seconds were among the most beautiful moments of my life. I truly felt like a princess,” Umanga recalled.
“My family was there cheering for me, and I could see how proud they were. The designers were cheering for me, and people were watching live and supporting me.”
One of the biggest highlights for the 28-year-old was getting to meet Sushmita Sen. “I still remember her giving me a flying kiss after my performance. There were so many moments that meant so much,” she said.
Behind that stage moment were “hours of practice after work, sore feet and days when even getting up felt difficult,” said Umanga.
“I had to be okay with struggling, starting from scratch and giving myself time to learn.”
What the future holds
Pushing herself out of her comfort zone brought her fame and a chance to participate in Miss Universe India. Umanga now wants to follow the ‘never say never’ philosophy in life.
(Also read: ‘He put his hands inside my blouse’: Beauty queen accuses Indian priest of molestation in Malaysia)
Asked if she plans to get into acting or modelling, she said: “I love working as an engineer. I don’t have a fixed plan at the moment, and I quite like that! I’m someone who enjoys trying new things and pushing my own boundaries.”
The 28-year-old is clear about one thing — she wants to experience new and exciting things. “If something excites me, I want to give it a shot,” she said. “I follow my heart, and I’m happy to leave a few things unknown—that’s what keeps life interesting. Let’s see where it takes me!”
This is also the message she has for other people. “My message would be to follow your heart and be willing to go through a little discomfort along the way,” said the Google techie.
