Meet Miss America 2014

For the second year in a row, Miss New York takes the crown.

On Sunday night, Nina Davuluri beat out 52 other contestants to become the first Indian-American woman to seize the Miss America title.

“Thank you so much,” the aspiring doctor, 24, said through tears, as last year's titleholder Mallory Hagan crowned her in Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall. 

Competing on a platform of "celebrating diversity," Davuluri performed a fusion of classical Indian and Bollywood-style dancing in a dazzling red and turquoise ensemble after momentarily missing her stage cue. 

During her interview, she was asked about Julie Chen's decision to have surgery in order to further her career. "Unfortunately, I don't agree with plastic surgery," responded Davuluri, who graduated from the University of Michigan. "Be confident in who you are."

For the evening gown competition, Davuluri donned a bright yellow dress inspired by her favorite Disney movie, "Beauty and the Beast." 

Davuluri's bid for Miss America came with a bit of controversy: She made headlines just two days before the pageant when the New York Post’s Page Six column claimed that she called Hagan “fat as f---“ shortly after being crowned Miss New York. Davuluri and Miss America representatives deny the accusations.

Miss California, Crystal Lee, placed first runner-up at the pageant, while Miss Oklahoma, Kelsey Griswold, took second runner-up.

Sunday's finale included several contestants who shared their unique stories and platforms with the public, such as Miss Kansas Theresa Vail, a member of the National Guard and the first contestant to publicly display her tattoos during the swimsuit competition, and Miss Iowa, a 23-year-old vocalist born without her left forearm. Vail won the "America's Choice" award Sunday night, which automatically qualified her for the semifinal round.

Mel Evans / AP

Miss New York Nina Davuluri reacts after being named Miss America 2014 pageant as Miss California Crystal Lee (left) and Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan celebrate with her.

The 93rd annual Miss America pageant marks the return of the beauty competition to its roots in Atlantic City, where the contest first began in 1921. For the past six years, the pageant has been held in Las Vegas. 

This year’s competition was hosted by Chris Harrison of “The Bachelor” and “Good Morning America’s” Lara Spencer. Miss America 2004 Deidre Downs Gunn, the New York Knicks’ Amar’e Stoudemire and ‘N Sync’s Lance Bass, were among the competition’s seven celebrity judges.  

Hagan’s year-long stint as Miss America was cut short because of the competition’s return to Atlantic City from Las Vegas, but the Miss America organization will compensate her for the lost time.  

As for Hagan's advice to this year's winner, she told the New York Daily News: "The reality is that when you win Miss America, you won because who you were, not what someone thought you should be. It’s just really important to remain true to the person you were before you won Miss America, and be yourself."

Congratulations to her.