Vijayawada girl crowned Miss India USA

Pranathy Gangaraju of Georgia was crowned Miss India USA 2014, which is the oldest running Indian pageant outside India. The 33rd annual pageant was organised by the New York-based IFC, headed by Dharmatma Saran, Pranathy was crowned by outgoing queen Monica Gill. She is the first Telugu girl to achieve the feat in the last twenty years.

Nineteen-year-old Pranathy is a student majoring in film acting and production, a media release said. Her hobbies include dancing, singing, writing and swimming, the release said.

A native of Hanumakonda in Warangal, Pranathy was based in Vijayawada before heading out to the US. Her dad is from Vijayawada.

Pranathy will represent USA in the 24th Annual Miss India Worldwide Pageant, which will be held in Goa in June 2016.

Monica Shah, 24, of Florida, and Angela Nand, 27, of Hawaii, were declared first and second runners up respectively among 21 contestants from various parts of the country. Riya Kaur from New Jersey was crowned Miss Teen India USA and Namita Dodwadkar of Massachuseets was also crowned the first Mrs India USA in the same pageant.