Indian-American Emily Shah wins Miss New Jersey title

Just a month after beauty queen Nina Davuluri made history by becoming the first Indian-American Miss America, 18-year-old Emily Shah has won the Miss New Jersey USA 2014 title.

Shah, a resident of Edison, home to a large Indian-American community, was crowned Sunday at a glittering ceremony at the Hilton Parsippani Hotel in Parsippani, a small hill township in the state, according to local allvoices.com.

She will represent New Jersey at the Miss USA Pageant in 2014. The winner of the Miss USA Pageant will represent the United States in the 2014 Miss Universe competition.

She was first runner-up at the 2013 Miss New Jersey Teen USA Pageant and first runner-up for Miss Teen World 2012.

If Shah is crowned Miss USA, she will become the first New Jersey titleholder to wear the US national crown.

Daughter of Los Angeles-based Prashant Shah, who has been associated with several Bollywood production houses, Emily has played small time roles in both Bollywood and Hollywood films.

She featured in Hollywood movies like "The Great New Wonderful" with Naseeruddin Shah and Bollywood films such as "Out of Control" alongside Riteish Deshmukh, "Ta Ra Rum Pum" and "Jaaneman".

Emily plans to work in action films and is currently working as an assistant in the stunt team of Hollywood movie "Run All Night", starring Liam Neeson and Ed Harris.

Being crowned Miss New Jersey USA entitles Shah to receive scholarships, wardrobe, jewellery, cosmetics, talent representation and a variety of other prize packages, the news site said.

"The focus for this programme is to provide an opportunity for young women to better themselves," according to pageant organisers. "The pageant encourages the contestants to gain self awareness, self confidence, individual pride and greater social awareness."

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)