Riona Wins Singapore's First Miss Teen Universe Asia Crown. Surely Singaporean Enough?

A First for Singapore, At 18, Riona became the first Singaporean to win Miss Teen Universe Asia. She also won Miss Popular Choice, her platform championed children's education, and she also performed a traditional Peranakan dance.

Beyond the pageant, she supported breast cancer awareness through a charity drink collaboration with Origin Teahouse. Riona has also raised over S$57,000 for children's hospice and rural education, according to 8world.

Riona first visited Bhutan at five years old years later, learning about its Gross National Happiness framework inspired her to research whether AI could analyse text to help estimate wellbeing. Her work was presented to Bhutan's King.

Riona now studies Business at UCL's Global Business School for Health. Outside the classroom, she has also walked at Fashion Weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris.

In 2021, Miss Universe Singapore winner Nandita Banna faced similar questions about being "Singaporean enough" because her parents were from India. Born and raised here, she faced a debate that has resurfaced with Riona. Why does this keep happening?