Bollywood actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra made India proud yet again. She won a People's Choice Award for her international acting debut as FBI agent Alex Parish in American TV thriller series "Quantico". She is said to be the first South Asian actress to win the honour.
Priyanka was named the Favourite Actress in a New TV series at the gala on Wednesday night here. She was pitted against actresses like Emma Roberts, Jamie Lee Curtis, Lea Michele and Marcia Gay Harden.
Ecstatic with the victory, Priyanka said: "I'd like to thank everyone who voted for 'Quantico'. It is my first year in the US, and to come to another country and actually get this kind of acceptance is I guess what America is all about."
"So, thank you for accepting me, thank you to my mom, my manager, the cast and crew, the writer, ABC...everyone. I'm really overwhelmed."
She was given the trophy by Hollywood action star Vin Diesel, who also gave a touching tribute to his late "Fast and Furious" co-star Paul Walker by singing the song "See you again" during the course of the show.
Priyanka looked glamorous in a shimmery dress by American fashion designer Vera Wang, and stood out with her smokey eye make-up.
A National Award-winning actress in India, Priyanka's acting repertoire includes films like "Andaaz", "Aitraaz", "Krrish", "Fashion" and "Mary Kom". Her last big screen outing as Kashibai in "Bajirao Mastani" last year has also won praises galore.
The People's Choice Award -- which recognises the people and the work of popular culture through votes given by the general public -- for Priyanka comes as a fillip to her international career, which first began as a singer in 2012 with her single "In my city". She went on to collaborate with American rapper Pitbull for "Exotic" in 2013.
After wining the award, she was flooded with congratulatory messages from the members of Indian film fraternity that included Nimrat Kaur, Anil Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Huma Qureshi, Prakash Jha and Shekhar Kapur.
Nimrat, who played a pivotal role in the American TV series "Homeland", tweeted: "Brilliant and so incredibly well deserved! So so proud of this tigress! A first of many more to go @priyankachopra."
Anil wrote: “And the People have made their choice! Congrats @priyankachopra on winning #PeoplesChoiceAward for favourite actress #Quantico!!So Proud!!”, while Anushka shared: “Hey @priyankachopra congratulations on the win! So proud of you! Keep rocking yaow”.
Priyanka will next be seen onscreen in the forthcoming Bollywood film "Jai Gangaajal", which is slated to release on March 4.
Other global stars to win big were Melissa McCarthy, Taylor Swift and Ellen DeGeneres.
While McCarthy won the Favourite Comedic Movie Actress and Favourite Comedic TV Actress awards, DeGeneres took home the trophies for Favourite Daytime TV Host and Favourite Humanitarian.
The Favourite Female Artist and Favourite Pop artist awards were given to Swift.
In the movies section, Channing Tatum was chosen as the Favourite Movie Actor, while Sandra Bullock was announced as the Favourite Movie Actress.