Entertainment
19-Year-Old Law Student From Kerala Wins Miss Universe India 2026 — Kaziah Liz Mejo Is Now Set for the Global Stage…
Raised in Abu Dhabi and already a former teen pageant winner, Kaziah Liz Mejo defeated 52 finalists in Jaipur and will represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico this November.
Jaipur: At just 19, Kaziah Liz Mejo has added one of India’s biggest beauty pageant titles to her growing list of achievements. The law student and model from Kerala was crowned Miss Universe India 2026 at the grand finale in Jaipur on August 23, beating 52 finalists from across the country.
Kaziah will now represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November. The victory marks the latest step in a pageant journey that began when she was still a teenager.
From Kerala to the national crown
Kaziah is from Mavelikkara, Kerala and is currently pursuing law while also working as a model.
Her pageant journey began early. At the age of 17, she won Miss Teen Diva 2024. She later represented India at Miss Teen International 2025, where she finished as the first runner-up.
Earlier this year, she won Miss Universe Kerala 2026, becoming the youngest winner of the state title.
Her latest achievement has now taken her from the state level to the national stage.
She grew up in Abu Dhabi
Although Kaziah’s roots are in Kerala, she spent much of her childhood in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
She studied at Emirates National School, St Joseph’s School and Abu Dhabi Indian School.
Her childhood abroad gave her exposure to a multicultural environment, while her connection to Kerala remained an important part of her identity.
Pageantry, however, is only one side of her personality.
Kaziah has trained in classical dance for 12 years and is also a singer and musician. She can play the drums and violin and has explored public speaking and acting.
From pageants to Malayalam cinema
Kaziah has also stepped into the world of films.
She made her acting debut in the Malayalam movie Shylock, adding acting to her growing list of creative interests.
Her experience in dance, music, acting and public speaking has also helped her develop the stage presence required in competitive pageantry.
In an earlier interview, Kaziah spoke about dealing with insecurities while growing up and gradually working on her confidence, personality and communication skills.
The Jaipur finale
The Miss Universe India 2026 grand finale was held at Zee Studios in Jaipur on August 23.
Kaziah emerged victorious from a field of 52 finalists.
Vaishnavi Gannesh of Tamil Nadu was named the first runner-up, while Anushri Satavlekar of Gujarat finished as the second runner-up.
The jury included several prominent names from India’s beauty-pageant world, including former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, Urvashi Rautela and Celina Jaitley.
Her winning answer also grabbed attention
One of the most talked-about moments from the competition came during the question-and-answer round.
Kaziah was asked about “the sound of silence” in her life.
Her response focused on the calm she experiences immediately before walking onto a stage. She connected that silence with a sense of confidence and preparation before facing an audience.
The answer resonated with the jury and quickly became one of the highlights of her winning performance.
Now, Puerto Rico awaits
The national crown has opened the door to Kaziah’s biggest pageant challenge yet.
She will travel to Puerto Rico in November for the 75th Miss Universe competition.
There, she will compete against contestants from around the world for the international crown.
India has previously produced three Miss Universe winners — Sushmita Sen in 1994, Lara Dutta in 2000 and Harnaaz Sandhu in 2021.
Kaziah will now attempt to become India’s fourth Miss Universe.
A 19-year-old with an impressive journey
At 19, Kaziah’s résumé already stretches across several fields. She is a law student, model, classical dancer and actor, and has represented India internationally before winning the country’s national Miss Universe title.
Her journey from Kerala to Abu Dhabi, from teen pageantry to the national crown, has been remarkably quick.
But her biggest test is still ahead.
In November, the spotlight will move from Jaipur to Puerto Rico, where Kaziah Liz Mejo will carry India’s hopes onto the global Miss Universe stage.
