A new name has taken the spotlight in India's pageant world. Kaziah Liz Mejo, a 19-year-old from Mavelikkara in Kerala's Alappuzha district, has been crowned Miss Universe India 2026. She emerged victorious from a field of 52 finalists at the national finale in Jaipur on Sunday, August 23.

Mejo's win marks another significant step in a pageant journey that began during her teenage years. She will now represent India at the 75th Miss Universe competition, which is scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico in November.

Who is Kaziah Liz Mejo?

Mejo is a law student, model and performing artist from Kerala. Although she is originally from Mavelikkara, she reportedly spent much of her childhood in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, where she attended Emirates National School, St Joseph's School and Abu Dhabi Indian School.

Her interests extend beyond academics and modelling. Mejo began learning classical dance in Abu Dhabi in 2012 and has since explored several other forms of performance. She is trained in violin and drums and has experience as a singer and dancer.

Her academic pursuits have also taken her towards law, making her journey one that combines education, performing arts and pageantry.

From Miss Teen Diva to Miss Universe India

Mejo's pageant career began in 2024 when she won the Miss Teen Diva title. The victory gave her an opportunity to compete on international platforms and marked the beginning of her rise in the pageant circuit.

The following year, she represented India at Miss Teen International 2025 and finished as the first runner-up. Her latest victory represents another major milestone, as she has now moved from teen pageantry to the country's premier national Miss Universe title.

Before winning the national crown, Mejo also secured the Miss Universe Kerala title.

Kaziah Liz Mejo's social cause

Alongside her modelling and pageant commitments, Mejo has expressed an interest in sustainability, particularly in the area of menstrual hygiene. Her advocacy adds a social dimension to her public profile as she prepares to take on a larger international platform.

Who were the runners-up?

Mejo's victory came ahead of two other finalists who also secured major titles at the Jaipur finale.

Vaishnavi Gannesh from Tamil Nadu was named the first runner-up and received the Miss International India 2026 title. Anushri Satavlekar from Gujarat finished as the second runner-up.

The competition featured 52 finalists who made it through a selection process that reportedly drew around 8,000 to 9,000 aspirants.

How were the Miss Universe India finalists selected?

The contestants reached the national finale after going through several stages of selection. Regional state pageants, auditions, wildcard opportunities and an NRI category were among the routes through which participants earned places in the final line-up.

Once selected, the contestants took part in a series of events and preliminary rounds leading up to the Jaipur finale. The programme included a sashing ceremony, introduction and speech rounds, a gala event and a swimsuit competition, alongside grooming and other preparatory activities.

The finale was hosted at Zee Studios in Jaipur, bringing months of competition and preparation to a close.

Who judged Miss Universe India 2026?

The finale featured a jury comprising prominent names from the world of entertainment, pageantry and business. The panel was headed by Sushmita Sen, who made history by becoming India's first Miss Universe in 1994.

Former Indian pageant winners Celina Jaitly and Urvashi Rautela were also part of the jury. Jaitly won Miss Universe India in 2001, while Rautela held the national title in 2015.

The judging panel also included Miss Universe India 2024 Rhea Singha, film producer Pragya Kapoor, entrepreneur Visha Ladhia, Miss Charm 2025 Anna Blanco and dermatologist Dr Stuti Khare Shukla, among others.

Miss Universe India's recent winners

The current Miss Universe India pageant has been organised by the Glamanand Group since it took over the Indian franchise in 2024.

Rhea Singha became the first winner under the new franchise in 2024, followed by Manika Vishwakarma in 2025. Both represented India at the international Miss Universe competition.

With Mejo taking over the national crown in 2026, she now becomes the latest Indian titleholder to carry the country's hopes onto the global stage.