Kerala’s 19-year-old law student Kaziah Liz Mejo wins Miss Universe India 2026 and prepares to represent the country in Puerto Rico
At just 19, Kaziah Liz Mejo has achieved a milestone that began as a dream more than three years ago. The law student from Kerala was crowned Miss Universe India 2026 at a glittering grand finale at Zee Studios in Jaipur on Sunday, emerging victorious from a field of 52 finalists.
The victory places Mejo at the centre of India’s beauty and fashion spotlight and gives her the opportunity to represent the country on one of the world’s biggest stages. She will compete at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in November.
For Mejo, the moment was about more than winning a crown. Speaking after her victory, she described it as an “iconic moment” and said she was proud to take the title back to Kerala.
“I feel so on top of the world,” she said. “This is such an iconic moment and the moment that I’ve worked for over three years now.”
She also spoke about the importance of representing her home state internationally, saying she was delighted to bring the crown home to Kerala and show her hometown to audiences around the world.
Her journey to the title, however, was not without its challenges. Reflecting on what she considered her biggest obstacle, Mejo said the hardest struggle was learning to believe in herself.
“I believe that the most difficult struggle that you face will always be within,” she said, describing the need to recognise that one is “worth more than what you think”.
Standing on a national pageant stage at 19, she said, required “a lot of audacity” and courage. Overcoming that internal challenge ultimately became part of the achievement she celebrated with the crown.
Mejo succeeded Miss Universe India 2025 Manika Vishwakarma, who crowned her successor during the finale.
Tamil Nadu’s Vaishnavi Gannesh was named first runner-up and also received the Miss International India 2026 title. Gujarat’s Anushri Satavlekar finished second runner-up, while Maharashtra’s Tejaswini Shrivastava and Uttarakhand’s Anubha Vashisth were named third and fourth runners-up respectively.
The contestants were judged on qualities including confidence, eloquence and stage presence. The judging panel brought together some of India’s most recognisable names from the pageant and entertainment worlds, including Sushmita Sen, India’s first Miss Universe; actress and former Miss Universe India Urvashi Rautela; Miss Universe India 2024 Rhea Singha; environmentalist and film producer Pragya Kapoor; and former Miss India Universe and Miss Universe runner-up Celina Jaitly.
Mejo now faces a new chapter. Preparations for the international competition will begin as she turns her attention from the national crown to the global stage.
For the young law student from Kerala, the journey has already transformed a long-held ambition into reality. In November, she will carry India’s hopes to Puerto Rico, with a chance to turn her national triumph into an international achievement.
