Kaziah Liz Mejo, a 19-year-old from Kerala, has been crowned Miss Universe India 2026 after winning the national pageant in Jaipur on August 23. She defeated 52 other finalists to take the title and will now represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November 2026.
For Kaziah, the win is more than just another beauty-pageant title. She has already spent several years preparing for the stage, and her journey has included modelling, acting, classical dance and previous pageant appearances.
Who Is Kaziah Liz Mejo?
Kaziah Liz Mejo is from Mavelikkara, Kerala, and is currently a law student. She also has experience as a model and performer.
She grew up in Abu Dhabi and has trained in classical dance for around 12 years. Her background in performing arts appears to have played an important role in her comfort on stage.
Interestingly, Miss Universe India 2026 isn’t her first major pageant achievement.
Kaziah won the Miss Teen Diva 2024 title and later represented India at Miss Teen International 2025, where she finished as the first runner-up. She was also crowned Miss Universe Kerala in 2026.
So while the national crown may look like a sudden breakthrough to people discovering her now, Kaziah has been working toward this moment for years.
Kaziah Liz Mejo Wins Miss Universe India 2026
The grand finale took place at Zee Studios in Jaipur, where Kaziah emerged as the winner among the finalists from across India.
She was crowned by Manika Vishwakarma, who held the Miss Universe India title in 2025.
The final results were:
- Winner: Kaziah Liz Mejo – Kerala
- First Runner-Up: Vaishnavi Gannesh – Tamil Nadu
- Second Runner-Up: Anushri Satavlekar – Gujarat
- Third Runner-Up: Tejaswini Shrivastava – Maharashtra
- Fourth Runner-Up: Anubha Vashist Chaudhary – Uttarakhand
Vaishnavi Gannesh was also named Miss International India 2026.
Sushmita Sen Was Among the Judges
The 2026 competition had a star-studded judging panel.
India’s first Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen, was among the judges. Former Miss Universe India Urvashi Rautela, Miss Universe India 2024 Rhea Singha, Celina Jaitly and film producer Pragya Kapoor were also part of the judging panel.
Having Sushmita Sen on the panel made the occasion particularly interesting because she became India’s first Miss Universe back in 1994.
Three Indian women have won the Miss Universe crown so far—Sushmita Sen in 1994, Lara Dutta in 2000 and Harnaaz Sandhu in 2021.
Kaziah now has the opportunity to try for India’s fourth Miss Universe crown.
Her Winning Answer Is Getting Attention
One of the moments from the competition that has attracted attention online is Kaziah’s answer to a question about “the sound of silence.”
She described silence as the calm she feels just before stepping onto a stage—the feeling of being at home when her heart settles and she knows she belongs there.
It was an answer that connected her personal experience as a performer with the moment she was experiencing on the Miss Universe India stage.
Kaziah also spoke about beauty as something connected with conviction, courage and the ability to rise again after failure.
Kaziah Liz Mejo’s Acting Connection
Kaziah isn’t limited to modelling and pageants.
She has also ventured into acting, with NDTV reporting that she made her acting debut with the Malayalam film Shylock.
Her experience in acting, dancing and public performance could be useful as she prepares for the international Miss Universe stage, where communication and personality are just as important as presentation.
She Wants to Bring the Miss Universe Crown Back to India
Kaziah has already made her next goal clear.
After winning Miss Universe India 2026, she said that her biggest plan is to bring the Miss Universe crown back to India. She also spoke about wanting to represent both India and Kerala on the international stage.
That opportunity will come in November, when she travels to Puerto Rico for the 75th Miss Universe competition.
A Historic Moment for Kerala
Kaziah’s victory is also being celebrated in Kerala because she becomes the first woman from the state to win the Miss Universe India title, according to multiple reports.
For a 19-year-old law student who has already built experience across dance, acting, modelling and pageantry, the victory marks another major step in a remarkably young career.
What’s Next for Kaziah Liz Mejo?
The national crown is only the beginning.
Kaziah will now have to prepare for an international competition featuring contestants from around the world. She will represent India at the Miss Universe 2026 pageant in Puerto Rico in November.
India has a strong history at Miss Universe, but it has also been several years since Harnaaz Sandhu brought the crown home in 2021.
Now, the spotlight is on a 19-year-old from Kerala.
Whether Kaziah can follow the footsteps of Sushmita Sen, Lara Dutta and Harnaaz Sandhu remains to be seen.
But one thing is already certain: Kaziah Liz Mejo has given India a new name to watch on the international pageant stage.
