- She represented England in the Miss World championships in China in December 2005, but despite being one of the favorites, she failed to advance to the semifinal of 16.
- She was known as "Miss Maya" after the Asian fashion house which sponsored her, and was reportedly offered a part in a forthcoming Bollywood movie.
- One of her portraits on stock photo site Getty Images was used as the basis for the face of the extraterrestrial character Tali'Zorah from the Mass Effect series of video games.
- After Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke to members of parliament on the anniversary of the 7 July 2005 London bombings, saying that Muslims needed to curb extremism, she criticised the government as stirring up animosity against Muslims.
- She is of the Afghan Tajik ethnic group.
- She speaks six languages, including English, Russian and Persian.
- She was featured in Teen Vogue magazine in May 2006.
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