Kerala's Kaziah Liz Mejo has been crowned Miss Universe India 2026, becoming the first woman from the state to win the national title. The 19-year-old law student emerged victorious at the grand finale held at Zee Studios in Jaipur on August 23.
Kaziah was selected from a field of 52 finalists at the national pageant. She succeeded Miss Universe India 2025 Manika Vishwakarma, who returned to the finale to crown her successor.
Her victory has also secured her a place on the international stage. Kaziah will represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant, scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico in November 2026. The global competition's finale is scheduled for November 24.
Who Is Kaziah Liz Mejo?
Kaziah is a law student and model from Kerala who spent part of her childhood in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Apart from modelling and pageantry, she has trained in classical dance and has interests in music, acting and public speaking.
Her pageant journey began before the Miss Universe India title. She won Miss Teen Diva 2024 at the age of 17 and later represented India at Miss Teen International 2025, where she finished as the first runner-up. Earlier in 2026, she also won the Miss Universe Kerala title.
Kaziah has also appeared in Malayalam cinema, making her acting debut in Shylock. Her combination of academics, modelling and performing arts has been a notable part of her journey into national pageantry.
Kaziah's Winning Moment
The national finale featured a prominent judging panel that included former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, along with former Miss Universe India titleholders Urvashi Rautela and Celina Jaitly.
In the final question round, Kaziah was asked to describe the “sound of silence” in her life. Her response was among the key moments of the finale as she competed for the national crown.
Tamil Nadu's Vaishnavi Ganesh finished as the first runner-up, while Gujarat's Anushri Satavlekar was named the second runner-up.
India Awaits the Miss Universe Stage
Kaziah's national victory now shifts the focus to the international pageant in Puerto Rico. She will carry India's hopes at the 75th edition of Miss Universe, where contestants from countries around the world will compete for the global title.
India has previously won the Miss Universe crown three times — Sushmita Sen in 1994, Lara Dutta in 2000 and Harnaaz Sandhu in 2021. Kaziah will now look to add another chapter to India's history at the global pageant.
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