Published on: August 26, 2026
By: BTNI
Location: Jaipur, India
Kerala’s 19-year-old law student and model Kaziah Liz Mejo has been crowned Miss Universe India 2026, emerging victorious from a field of 52 finalists at the grand finale held in Jaipur on Sunday, August 23.
With the national crown, Kaziah has secured the opportunity to represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant, scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico in November.
From Kerala to the National Crown
Hailing from Mavelikkara in Kerala, Kaziah is currently pursuing a law degree alongside her modelling career. Her journey in the pageant world began at a young age and has already seen several significant milestones.
VIDEO LINK- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6sq6T7Y9Hw
At the age of 17, she won the Miss Teen Diva 2024 title. She later represented India at Miss Teen International 2025, where she finished as the first runner-up.
Earlier in 2026, Kaziah added another major achievement to her record by winning Miss Universe Kerala 2026, becoming the youngest winner of the state title.
Childhood and Education in Abu Dhabi
Although Kaziah traces her roots to Kerala, she spent much of her childhood in Abu Dhabi, UAE. She studied at Emirates National School, St Joseph’s School and Abu Dhabi Indian School.
Beyond academics and pageantry, she has developed a wide range of interests and talents. Kaziah has trained in classical dance for 12 years and is also a singer and musician. She can play instruments including the drums and violin.
She has also explored public speaking and acting and made her acting debut in the Malayalam film Shylock.
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Kaziah Wins Against 52 Finalists
The Miss Universe India 2026 finale in Jaipur brought together 52 contestants from across the country, with Kaziah ultimately taking home the coveted national crown.
Tamil Nadu’s Vaishnavi Gannesh was declared the first runner-up, while Gujarat’s Anushri Satavlekar finished as the second runner-up.
Anushri Satavlekar was also awarded the Miss International India 2026 title.
Star-Studded Jury at the Jaipur Finale
The grand finale featured an eminent jury comprising prominent names from India’s beauty pageant and entertainment industry.
The jury included former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, along with former Miss Universe India winners Urvashi Rautela and Celina Jaitley.
Their presence added further prominence to the national pageant, which culminated in Kaziah being selected to carry India’s hopes on the international stage.
India’s Next Miss Universe Contender
Kaziah’s victory marks the biggest achievement of her pageant career so far. The 19-year-old will now prepare for the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November, where she will represent India against contestants from around the world.
Her journey from winning Miss Teen Diva at 17 to becoming Miss Universe Kerala and now Miss Universe India 2026 reflects a rapid rise in the world of beauty pageants.
With law, modelling, classical dance, music and acting forming different aspects of her profile, Kaziah Liz Mejo now faces her biggest challenge yet — representing India on the global Miss Universe stage.
