LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Derby Festival queen has been crowned.

Ankita Nair, a third-year medical student at the University of Louisville, won her crown with the traditional spin of the wheel during the 65th annual Fillies Derby Ball Saturday, April 13.

Nair graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCLA in three years with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Biology and Society. She is the 2023 Miss University of Louisville. Nair also founded her own preventative health initiative called “Let’s Live Kentucky,” and it aims to improve state health care outcomes.

The Royal Court is made up of outstanding young women from around the state. Selected from a pool of nearly 100 applicants, the newly crowned Queen and the Court will reign through 2024 and attend nearly all events during this year’s Derby Festival. (Kentucky Derby Festival)

The other members of the royal court are Derby Festival Princesses Paighton Brooks, Sarah Downs, Emma Rhodes and Laurel Riggs. Each member of the court applies for the position and was selected from across the state. This year there were over 100 applicants. Nair and her court will reign through 2024 and will attend almost all of the Derby Festival’s events.

Every member of the court receives a pair of $1,000 scholarships and an official wardrobe.

Nair now joins the list of former Derby Festival Queens, including former governor Martha Layne Collins and the late Gail Gorski—the first female pilot for United Airlines.