JAIPUR: From battling childhood insecurities to wearing one of Indian pageantry’s most coveted crowns, Kerala’s Kaziah Liz Mejo has scripted a remarkable journey at just 19.
The Mavelikkara native was crowned Miss Universe India 2026 at the national finale held in Jaipur on Sunday, August 23, emerging victorious from a field of 53 contestants representing different parts of the country. The win makes her the first contestant from Kerala to claim the national title.
Tamil Nadu’s Vaishnavi Ganesh finished as the first runner-up and was named Miss International India 2026, while Gujarat’s Anushree Satavlekar secured the second runner-up position.
With the crown now firmly in place, Kaziah will represent India at the landmark 75th Miss Universe pageant, scheduled to take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, this November. The international competition is expected to bring together more than 130 representatives from countries and territories around the world.
Kaziah’s victory is not an overnight success. A law student, model, actor and trained classical dancer, she entered pageantry in 2024 and won Miss Teen Diva. She subsequently represented India at Miss Teen International 2025, where she finished as the first runner-up.
Earlier this year, she became the youngest winner of Miss Universe Kerala 2026, earning her place at the national competition. In an interview after winning the Kerala title, Kaziah recalled how she had once struggled with deep insecurity about her looks and personality. She gradually rebuilt her confidence by working on her communication, stage presence and personal development.
Her journey has also come full circle in a particularly poignant way. As a child growing up in Abu Dhabi, Kaziah reportedly insisted on carrying the Indian flag during a school sports march, even though the flag was nearly twice her size. Years later, she carried the Tricolour on an international pageant stage—and will now do so again on the biggest stage of her career.
Beyond the ramp, Kaziah has trained in classical dance for around 12 years and is also interested in singing, acting and musical instruments. Her parents, she has said, have remained equally particular about her academic journey, prompting her to pursue law alongside modelling and pageantry.
Kaziah had openly spoken of bringing the Miss Universe India crown to Kerala—a feat the State had not achieved before. On Sunday night, that ambition became reality as outgoing titleholder Manika Vishwakarma crowned her successor amid celebrations in Jaipur.
India has won the global Miss Universe title three times—through Sushmita Sen in 1994, Lara Dutta in 2000 and Harnaaz Sandhu in 2021. Kaziah will now travel to Puerto Rico hoping to add a fourth crown to that celebrated legacy.
At 19, her story already extends beyond gowns, glitter and the runway. It is one of a young woman turning insecurity into confidence, a childhood dream into determined preparation, and a State’s long wait into a historic national victory.
