Jaipur, August 24, 2026 — In a landmark triumph for South Indian pageantry, Kaziah Liz Mejo (also spelled Kezia Liz Majo), a 19-year-old law student from Kerala, was crowned Miss Universe India 2026 at the grand finale held at Zee Studios in Jaipur.
Outperforming 52 finalists from across the country, Kaziah was officially crowned by her predecessor, Miss Universe India 2025 Manika Vishwakarma. She now stands as the first representative from Kerala to win the national crown and will represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico this November.
Kaziah Liz Mejo: Biography & Quick Profile
| Detail | Profile Information |
| Full Name | Kaziah Liz Mejo (Kezia Liz Majo) |
| Title Won | Miss Universe India 2026 |
| Age & Birth Year | 19 years old (Born 2007) |
| Hometown | Mavelikara, Alappuzha, Kerala |
| Parents | Mejo Abraham and Suja Mejo |
| Education | Law Student (Bengaluru) |
| Schooling | Emirates National School, St. Joseph’s School, Abu Dhabi Indian School |
| Height | ~5 ft 8 in (Not Officially Disclosed) |
| Talents | Classical Dance (12 years), Violin, Drums, Public Speaking |
| Acting Career | Appeared in the Malayalam movie Shylock |
Full Contestant Results & Top Placements
- Winner (Miss Universe India 2026): Kaziah Liz Mejo (Kerala)
- 1st Runner-Up (Miss International India 2026): Vaishnavi Gannesh (Tamil Nadu)
- 2nd Runner-Up: Anushri Satavlekar (Gujarat)
- 3rd Runner-Up: Tejaswini Shrivastava (Maharashtra)
- 4th Runner-Up: Anubha Vashist Chaudhary (Uttarakhand)
Early Life & Personal Struggles: Overcoming Insecurity
Born in 2007 in Mavelikara, Alappuzha, Kaziah spent much of her early childhood in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Despite growing up in a supportive environment, entering her teenage years brought difficult challenges related to unrealistic social media beauty standards and body image issues.
Kaziah has openly shared her journey of battling insecurity over her skin tone and appearance, admitting she once avoided posting unfiltered photos for nearly three years. Inspired by Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu, she converted her self-doubt into determination.
“I believe that the most difficult struggle you face will always be within — to believe that you are worth more than what you think,” Kaziah expressed following her coronation. “Standing on a stage as big as Miss Universe India at just 19 took a lot of audacity and courage.”
Pageant Career Timeline
- 2024 (Miss Teen Diva & International): Won Miss Teen Diva 2024 and went on to secure the 1st Runner-Up position at Miss Teen International 2025 representing India.
- Early 2026 (Miss Universe Kerala): Won the state title, earning her place at the national competition.
- August 2026 (Miss Universe India): Crowned the national winner at Zee Studios, Jaipur.
Grand Finale Jury Panel
The national finale featured an esteemed panel of judges from Indian cinema and beauty pageantry:
- Sushmita Sen (India’s first Miss Universe)
- Urvashi Rautela (Former Miss Universe India)
- Rhea Singha (Miss Universe India 2024)
- Celina Jaitly (Former Miss India Universe Runner-Up)
- Pragya Kapoor (Film Producer & Environmentalist)
