The crown has found its new owner, and this time, it is 19-year-old Kaziah Liz Mejo from Kerala. Mejo won the Miss Universe India 2026 title at the grand finale in Jaipur on Sunday, August 23, beating 51 other finalists.
Her victory has also opened the door to the world stage. Kaziah will now represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant, which is scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico in November.
Who is Kaziah Liz Mejo?
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Born and raised in Mavelikkara, Kerala, Kaziah is a law student as well as a model. At just 19, she already has international pageant experience.
She represented India at Miss Teen International 2025, where she finished as the first runner-up. Her latest win now gives her another chance to represent the country, this time at one of the world’s biggest beauty pageants.
Who were the other winners?
Kaziah’s win was followed by two other major titles at the Jaipur finale.
Vaishnavi Gannesh from Tamil Nadu was named the first runner-up and also received the Miss International India 2026 title. Anushri Satavlekar from Gujarat finished as the second runner-up.
How was Miss Universe India 2026 selected?
The finale took place at Zee Studios in Jaipur after months of auditions, grooming sessions and preliminary competitions.
According to the organisers, around 8,000 to 9,000 aspirants were considered during the selection process. The final 52 contestants came through regional state pageants, final auditions, wildcard entries and an NRI category.
The Glamanand Group has organised Miss Universe India since acquiring the Indian franchise in 2024. The first edition under the new franchise was held that year, with Rhea Singha winning the crown.
- Kaziah Liz Mejo
- Miss Universe
