Telugammayi is Miss America

Nina Davuluri’s parents hail from Vijayawada

Whites sulk, make racial Comments

Atlantic City (Agencies) To the delight of tens of thousands of Indian Americans, Indians, Telugus particularly, Miss New York, 24-year-old Nina Davuluri, has become the first person of Indian descent to be crowned Miss America. Nina has her roots in Andhra Pradesh in Vijayawada. Her parents Shiela Ranjani and Koteswara Chowdhary, both doctors, are settled in the US.

Her maternal grandmother V Koteshwaramma, 89, is the chairperson of Montessori Mahila Kalasala and its allied institutions in Vijayawada. At the famous beauty pageant which returned to Atlantic City, New Jersey, after a six-year stint in Las Vegas, Davuluri from Syracuse sashayed off with the tiara and the $50,000 scholarship cash as she was chosen to succeed former Miss New York, Mallory Hagan. She won the pageant after wooing the judges with a Bollywood fusion dance. Nina is the second consecutive Miss New York to win the Miss America pageant.

She follows another Miss New York, Mallory Hagan who was crowned Miss America in 2013. She is also the first Indian NRI to contest for the Miss America pageant. Nina is a native of Syracuse in New York and wants to become a doctor like her father. She wore a bright yellow coloured gown when she was crowned Miss America. She had left behind 53 contestants to grab this pageant title. She impressed the judges with her talent, beauty, confidence and interactive skills.

The smart answer to the question and answer round might have made Nina lucky! She was asked "Julie Chen had plastic surgery to appear less Asian. What do you think of her decision?" Davuluri quickly stated that she did not approve of plastic surgery, but said, "I've always viewed Miss America as the girl next door and the girl next door is evolving." She even performed an Indian "classic Bollywood fusion" in one of the talent competitions.

Brushes off racial slur

Davuluri's victory led to some negative comments on Twitter from users upset that someone of Indian heritage had won the pageant. She brushed those aside. "I have to rise above that," she said. "I always viewed myself as first and foremost an American." "I'm so happy this organisation has embraced diversity," she said in her first press conference after winning the crown.

"I'm thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America." Her pageant platform was "celebrating diversity through cultural competency" and Davuluri said she's had to dispel a lot of misconceptions about her culture through the years, such as whether her parents will arrange a marriage for her. She said she plans to represent her roots and push her platform of diversity in her new role.

"I'm most excited to promote my platform, I was the first Indian Miss New York and I'm so proud to be the first Indian Miss America," she said tearfully. Davuluri, in a canary-yellow evening gown, walked the runway after being named Miss America, waving and brushing away tears of joy.

V’wada celebrates Nina’s success

Ch Sowmya Sruthi

Vijayawada: History of sorts has been created after a 24-year-old girl of Indian origin with roots in Vijayawada won Miss America title. Nina Davuluri won the pageant as well as the rarest pride of becoming the first ever Indian to be crowned Miss America.

Nina’s parents Shiela Ranjani and Dhanakoteswara Chowdary are from Vijayawada and her maternal grandmother is a well known educationist. V Koteswaramma, who is chairperson of Montessori Mahila Kalasala and its allied institutions.

Speaking to The Hans India, Koteswaramma exulted over the victory of her granddaughter who, she says, has a great love for the Indian art forms. “We encouraged her all through her choices and she is very excited about being part of these beauty pageants since her teenage. Not neglecting her studies, she learnt Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam in India during her break apart from Piano, Tennis and western dance forms,” she said.

Nina’s aunt Dr Sasibala who owns a Nursing home here recollected that Nina was very affectionate towards the family and always spends her summer time in India pursuing some art. Nina was born in America but was brought to India when she was two and half months old. Thereafter, she was raised here until she attained three years and was sent back. Nina completed her Bachelors in Brain Behavior and Cognitive Science at University of Michigan and wants to become a Cardiologist following the footsteps of her father and their uncles.

Nina’s elder sister Meena is doing her third year Medicine as well, added Dr Sasibala. Nina Davuluri broke the barriers on Sunday night when she became Miss America and owes all this credit to her Indian roots saying that she managed to woo the judges by her Bollywood Fusion dance to Indian music. She earlier won Miss Syracuse and then Miss New York which opened gates for her entry to contest for Miss America.

Some of the unsettling, disturbing tweets about Nina Davuluri:

Are you serious??!!! The Arab wins??!!! This is miss AMERICA!!! Not miss Arabia!!! Miss Kansas is in the army and is a country girl!!! C'mon — Cade Minnick

I thought this was Miss America, not Miss Arab. — Anthis

And the Arab wins Miss America. Classic.

— POOKIE. (@Granvil_Colt) September 16, 2013

You have got to be kidding me... We have a black president, now Miss America is an ARAB. Maybe this world is really coming to an end ‘WHEN WILL A WHITE WOMAN WIN #MISSAMERICA? Ever??!!’

‘I am literally soo mad right now a ARAB won. #Miss America’

‘How the **** does a foreigner win miss America? She is a Arab! #idiots’

'This is Miss America... Not Miss Foreign Country.'