Newly crowned Miss America Nina Davuluri continued on her whirlwind national media tour yesterday, with a pit stop in Manhattan.
The
24-year-old from Syracuse, New York, stepped out in a fuchsia
floral-print dress and her dazzling pageant crown as she appeared on
ABC's Live with Kelly and Michael.
During
her interview, the aspiring doctor said her motivation for entering the
famous beauty contest was to make history as 'the first Indian Miss
America.'
In the spotlight: Newly crowned Miss America,
Indian-American Nina Davuluri opted for a pretty pink dress, as she
visited New York to appear on Live with Kelly and Michael
'For me Miss America has always been
known as "the girl next door", but the girl next door is evolving as the diversity in America evolves.
'You know, she's not who she was ten years ago and she's not going to be the same person come ten years down the road.'
However, while the majority of people online rushed to congratulate the new Miss America on Sunday evening, racist comments also began to trickle onto the web.
Ambitious: The aspiring doctor said that her
motivation for entering Miss America was to make history as the first
Indian woman to win
Meredith Talley (@MeredithRoanell) tweeted: 'This is Miss America... Not Miss Foreign Country.'
Her Twitter profile disappeared shortly after her comments, which was shared by numerous people, most of whom were shocked.
And
Kat (@KathrynRyan50), who says on her Twitter profile that she is
happily in love with her 'savior Jesus Christ', posted: 'Shes (sic) like
not even american and she won miss america.'
But
Miss Davuluri shrugged off the hateful comments and was pictured
celebrating her title as she splashed in the Atlantic Ocean in Atlantic
City on Monday morning.
Making her mark: Miss Davuluri says that she is
not a traditional 'girl next door' and hopes that her win helps make
Miss America more relevant to today's generation of viewers
Passing on the title: Miss Davuluri was crowned winner by Miss America 2013, Mallory Hagan
In interview after
being crowned Miss America, she said to the criticisms: 'I have to rise
above that... I always viewed myself as first and foremost American,'
according to Associated Press.
She said she is delighted that the nearly century-old pageant sees beauty and talent of all kinds.
'I'm so happy this organization has embraced diversity,' she said. 'I'm thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America.'
'I'm so happy this organization has embraced diversity and children can finally relate to a new Miss America'
And on Live with Kelly and Michael yesterday she stated that in order for Miss America to 'stay relevant', diversity is key.
During
her stint on the show she also gave a quick Bollywood dance lesson,
following on from her performance in the talent section of Miss
America.
However, hosts
Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan struggled to replicate her moves, with Mr
Strahan falling to his knees at one point.
Speaking
on Good Morning America on Monday, Miss Davuluri highlighted how it was
the first time Bollywood has been performed in Miss America's 92-year
history.
She said: 'It's
such an honor for myself, my family and my community as well. I just
remember performing my talent and halfway through just crying.
Beauty queen: Miss Davuluri's pageant platform
was 'celebrating diversity through cultural competency.' Her talent
routine was a Bollywood fusion dance
Not skinny: Ms Davuluri doesn't give out her
weight for fear that other women will use it as a goal. She says her
current weight is hardly what she'd define as 'skinny'
'It was
such an incredible experience being on that stage... It was so
meaningful and powerful.'
Her grandmother also told The Associated Press that she cried when she saw her granddaughter strut her stuff on television.
'I
am very, very happy for the girl. It was her dream and it was
fulfilled,' 89-year-old Vege Koteshwaramma said by phone from her home
in the city of Vijaywada, in the southern Indian state of Andhra
Pradesh.
'It's such an honor for myself and my community as well. I just remember performing my talent and halfway through just crying'
She said there are
numerous doctors in the family, both in the U.S. and India, and that if
her granddaughter wants to become one, 'I am sure she will do it.'
Asked about her granddaughter
appearing in a bikini, given the conservative attitudes about such
things in India, Koteshwaramma said: 'I haven't seen any such thing.
This must be all part of the competition.'
Miss
Davuluri said she wants to be a doctor, and is applying to medical
school, with the help of a $50,000 scholarship she won as part of the
pageant title.
Her father is also a doctor and Miss Davuluri said she was currently interested in pursuing psychiatry.
Making a splash: On her first day as the new
Miss America, Nina Davuluri followed pageant tradition by dipping her
toes into the Atlantic City surf
Time of her life: The ocean frolic took place Monday morning, in front of Boardwalk Hall, where she won the title hours earlier
Proudest moment: Her grandmother, 89-year-old
Vege Koteshwaramma, also told The Associated Press that she cried when
she saw the news on television
Her first runner-up was Miss
California, Crystal Lee. Other top five finalists included Miss
Minnesota, Rebecca Yeh; Miss Florida, Myrrhanda Jones, and Miss
Oklahoma, Kelsey Griswold.
Next
up on her media tour will be a personal one-on-one interview with
Bethenney Frankel on the Bethenney Frankel Show, scheduled to air on
Thursday, September 19.
Today
she will meet former Miss America - and fellow Syracuse native -
Vanessa Williams and see The Trip To Bountiful on Broadway, a play in
which Ms Williams appears.
Miss
Davuluri is the second Asian-American to win Miss America, after Angela
Perez-Baraquio, who is of Filipino descent, claimed the title in 2001.
The
pageant, which originated in Atlantic City 1921, spent the last six
years in Las Vegas before returning to New Jersey this year.
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