At just 19, Kaziah Liz Mejo has achieved a milestone that she had been working towards for more than three years. The Kerala-born beauty has been crowned Miss Universe India 2026 after emerging victorious at the grand finale in Jaipur. Her win has now put her in the spotlight as she prepares to take the Indian pageant journey to an even bigger global stage.
Mejo defeated 52 finalists from across the country to claim the coveted crown at the event held at Zee Studios in Jaipur on Sunday. The title was presented to her by Miss Universe India 2025 Manika Vishwakarma, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the young contestant. With the national title secured, Kaziah will now represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November.
Kaziah Liz Mejo’s Emotional Reaction After Winning
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For Kaziah, the victory was more than just a pageant achievement. It was the result of years of preparation, self-belief and the courage to compete on one of the country’s biggest beauty platforms at such a young age. Speaking after her crowning moment, she described the achievement as an unforgettable milestone.
“I feel so on top of the world. This is such an iconic moment and the moment that I’ve worked for for over three years now. And I’m so incredibly happy that I get to bring home this crown to my Kerala, to be able to show my hometown to the world, to be able to carry it to the Universe.”
Her words also reflected the personal importance of representing Kerala on a national and international stage. For the 19-year-old, the crown is not simply a symbol of winning a competition. It represents an opportunity to introduce her roots and hometown to a much wider audience.
‘The Most Difficult Struggle’ Was Within
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While pageants often focus on glamour, confidence and stage presence, Kaziah spoke about a different kind of challenge that she had to overcome. According to her, the biggest battle was not necessarily competing against other contestants. It was learning to believe in herself.
“I believe that the most difficult struggle that you face will always be within, and that is to believe that you are worth more than what you think. So, being able to be on a stage as big as Miss Universe India at just 19 years old, I think that took a lot of audacity within, it took a lot of courage. And I was able to overcome that and now I stand here with the crown.”
Her comments underline the confidence required to step onto a major pageant stage at 19. Competing against 52 finalists meant dealing with expectations, pressure and the challenge of standing out among contestants from different parts of India. For Kaziah, overcoming that internal hesitation became an important part of her journey. Her eventual victory has given that journey an even more significant meaning.
Kaziah’s Big Goal: Bring Miss Universe Crown To India
The national title is only the beginning for Kaziah. Her next challenge will be much bigger. She will represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November.
The young titleholder has already made it clear that she has an ambitious goal for the international competition. She wants to bring the Miss Universe crown back to India and use the platform to represent both the country and Kerala.
“My first plan is to bring home the crown of Miss Universe to India, and that will always be my biggest plan in life. And in everything I do, I want to be able to represent India, I want to be able to represent Kerala, and I want to be able to represent what it means to be India.”
Her statement sets the tone for the next stage of her journey. The pressure will be considerably higher at the global pageant, where contestants from around the world will compete for the Miss Universe title. However, Kaziah’s early focus remains firmly on representing India with confidence.
A Star-Studded Judging Panel
The grand finale also featured an impressive judging panel. India’s first Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen, was among the judges. Former Miss Universe India Urvashi Rautela and Miss Universe India 2024 Rhea Singha were also part of the panel. Environmentalist and film producer Pragya Kapoor joined them, while former Miss India Universe and Miss Universe runner-up Celina Jaitly also participated in the judging process.
With several established names from the pageant world involved, the competition offered the finalists an opportunity to be evaluated by personalities with considerable experience in beauty pageants and the entertainment industry.
Vaishnavi Gannesh Named First Runner-Up
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While Kaziah Liz Mejo walked away with the main crown, the grand finale also saw several other contestants secure important titles.
Vaishnavi Gannesh was named the first runner-up and will also carry the title of Miss International India 2026. Anushri Satavlekar finished as the second runner-up, while Tejaswini Shrivastava was declared the third runner-up. Anubha Vashist Chaudhary secured the fourth runner-up position. The results marked the culmination of the competition after contestants from across India battled for the opportunity to represent the country on major international platforms.
From Kerala To The Miss Universe Stage
Kaziah Liz Mejo’s victory gives Kerala a new reason to celebrate on the national pageant stage. Her journey from competing among dozens of finalists to winning the Miss Universe India 2026 crown has also given her a global opportunity at an exceptionally young age.
The real test, however, begins in November. Representing India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant will bring an entirely different level of competition and attention. Kaziah has already spoken about her biggest ambition: bringing the international crown home. For now, she can celebrate the achievement she worked towards for more than three years. From Kerala to Jaipur and now to Puerto Rico, Kaziah Liz Mejo’s pageant journey has entered its most exciting chapter yet.
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