. UAE-born Kerala’s Kaziah Liz Mejo has been crowned Miss Universe India 2026. The 19-year-old from Mavelikkara in Kerala’s Alappuzha district won the national title at the grand finale in Jaipur on August 23.
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Kaziah Wins Miss Universe India 2026
Kaziah emerged as the winner from 53 contestants representing different parts of India. Miss Universe India 2025 Manika Vishwakarma crowned her successor at the grand finale held at Zee Studios in Jaipur.
The victory gives Kaziah the chance to represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant. The global competition is scheduled to take place in Puerto Rico in November.
The jury featured several well-known names from the beauty and entertainment industry. Former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen was among the judges. Former Miss Universe India winners Urvashi Rautela and Celina Jaitly also joined the panel.
From Abu Dhabi To The National Crown
Kaziah was born in 2007 and spent her formative years in Abu Dhabi. She studied at Emirates National School, St Joseph’s School and Abu Dhabi Indian School.
Her UAE upbringing exposed her to a multicultural environment. She has credited this experience with helping improve her confidence, communication skills and outlook.
She is now pursuing a law degree in Bengaluru while working as a model. Her pageant journey started at a young age. She won the Miss Teen Diva title in 2024.
In 2025, she represented India at Miss Teen International. She finished as the first runner-up, gaining valuable international pageant experience.
A Talented Performer
UAE-born Kerala’s Kaziah Liz Mejo also has a strong background in the performing arts. She trained in classical dance for 12 years. She can also sing and play the drums and violin. Her acting debut came in the Malayalam film Shylock.
Kaziah has also spoken about overcoming insecurities related to appearance and confidence. Her journey highlights the importance of personal growth, resilience and communication.
Representing India In Puerto Rico
At the Jaipur finale, Vaishnavi Ganesh from Tamil Nadu was named first runner-up. She will represent India at Miss International 2026.
Anushri Satavlekar of Gujarat finished as second runner-up. Tejaswini Shrivastava of Maharashtra and Anubha Vashisth Chaudhary of Uttarakhand were named third and fourth runner-up.
Kaziah now prepares for her biggest pageant challenge. She will carry her Indian heritage and UAE experience to the Miss Universe stage in Puerto Rico.
