The otherwise tranquil streets of Agartala broke into spontaneous revelry as the 22-year-old bagged the title, with celebrations going on well past midnight. Huge crowds burst crackers and marched down roads to the beat of drums with the police having to be pressed into service to ensure the revelry did not get out of hand.

Sourabhee's house in Agartala's Krishnanagar locality was thronged by visitors. Her father works as a Zonal Development Officer with the Tripura government's Tribal Affairs wing.

Apart from being the first female winner of the popular contest, she is also the first tribal from the Northeast to win. Although Sourabhee won the title riding a huge wave of support via votes from the Northeast, the Agartala girl has lived in various parts of the country. She completed her MBA from Pune and later took to singing.

Agartala's brush with fame has spawned some interesting developments in the state with the age-old simmering tension between tribals and non-tribals retreating into the background for the timebeing. Moreover, the Indian Idol effect has led to bitter political rivals, the ruling CPM and the Congress-led Opposition burying their differences to celebrate the occasion.

Tripura royal Pradyut Kishore Deb Burman, who played a key role in urging the people of the Northeast to rally behind the singing sensation and vote for her in huge numbers, reckons this is a historic occasion for not just the state but the entire nation. "She has made us proud with her achievement. Tripura apart, this is a historic occasion for India as well," he told reporters on the sidelines of unending celebrations.