ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Nina Davuluri became the first contestant of Indian heritage and the second consecutive contestant from New York to win the Miss America pageant Sunday night.
Davuluri, 24, won the title as the nationally televised pageant returned home to Atlantic City.
She succeeds another Miss New York, Mallory Hagan, whose tenure was cut short when the pageant moved back to Atlantic City after a six-year stint in Las Vegas, where winners were chosen in January.
Miss Oklahoma, Tulsa native Kelsey Griswold, was second runner-up.
A graduate of Union High School, Griswold is a senior at Oklahoma City University, majoring in acting, She won the Miss Oklahoma in competition in Tulsa, entering as Miss Bricktown.
She sang ''Everybody Says Don't,'' for her talent competition.
Davuluri performed a classical Bollywood fusion dance for her talent competition and won over first runner-up Crystal Lee, Miss California.
Other top 5 finalists included Miss Minnesota, Rebecca Yeh, and Miss Florida, Myrrhanda Jones.
After the traditional frolic in the Atlantic City surf Monday morning, Davuluri will head to the scene of a devastating boardwalk fire in the New Jersey communities of Seaside park and Seaside Heights on Monday.
The pageant had pitted 53 contestants - one from each state, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands - in swimsuit, evening gown, talent and interview competitions.
"This is where we belong," Sam Haskell, CEO of the Miss America Organization, told The Associated Press. "This is the home of Miss America, and this is where we're going to stay."
Much attention had been given to Miss Kansas, Theresa Vail, who is believed to be the first Miss America contestant to openly display tattoos. She has the Serenity Prayer on her rib cage and a military insignia on the back of a shoulder. While other contestants wore glamorous costumes and elaborately decorated footwear during Saturday night's "show-us-your-shoes" parade on the Boardwalk, Vail wore camouflage gear and Army boots.
US & World
Washington Navy Yard gunman Aaron Alexis complained to police in Rhode Island last month that people were talking to him through the walls and ceilings of his hotel rooms and sending microwave vibrations into his body.
The gunman in the mass shootings at the Washington Navy Yard, Aaron Alexis, had a history of violent outbursts, and was at least twice accused of firing guns in anger.
