JAIPUR, India — Kaziah Liz Mejo has officially been crowned Miss Universe India 2026, becoming the first contestant from Kerala to claim the national title. The 19-year-old model and law student from Mavelikkara outshone 51 other finalists during a glittering grand finale held at Zee Studios in Jaipur on Sunday evening.

With the national crown secured, Mejo will go on to represent India on the international stage at the 75th Miss Universe competition, scheduled to take place in Puerto Rico this November.

From Self-Doubt to the National Crown

Originating from Mavelikkara in Kerala, Mejo balances her legal studies with work as a professional model, actor, and dancer. Her path to the national title follows prior success in youth pageantry; she previously represented India at Miss Teen International 2025, where she finished as the first runner-up.

Reflecting on her journey, Mejo opened up about overcoming severe self-confidence issues prior to entering pageantry. "For years, I didn't have a single unfiltered picture of myself. I was insecure about how I looked, my personality… almost everything," she recalled.

She credited her transformation to rigorous self-improvement in public speaking and personal presentation, adopting a "fake it till you make it" mindset to push past stage fright until genuine self-assurance took root. Her initial motivation to enter beauty pageants was sparked after watching Harnaaz Sandhu claim the Miss Universe title for India in 2021—joining the historic ranks of Sushmita Sen (1994) and Lara Dutta (2000).

High-Stakes Selection and Star-Studded Jury

The 2026 edition of Miss Universe India drew nationwide interest, attracting between 8,000 and 9,000 applicants. Organizers narrowed the field down to 52 finalists through regional pageants, nationwide auditions, wildcard selections, and an NRI category. Contestants competed in multiple rounds, including preliminary speech assessments, a high-fashion runway showcase, and a swimsuit segment.

The grand finale featured an elite panel of judges headed by Sushmita Sen, India's pioneer Miss Universe winner. Joining her on the jury were former national titleholders Celina Jaitly (2001), Urvashi Rautela (2015), and outgoing queen Rhea Singha (2024), alongside film producer Pragya Kapoor, entrepreneur Visha Ladhia, Miss Charm 2025 Anna Blanco, and dermatologist Dr. Stuti Khare Shukla.

The finale also celebrated several runners-up:

  • First Runner-Up (Miss International India 2026): Vaishnavi Gannesh (Tamil Nadu)

  • Second Runner-Up: Anushri Satavlekar (Gujarat)

  • Third Runner-Up: Tejaswini Shrivastava (Maharashtra)

  • Fourth Runner-Up: Anubha Vashist Chaudhary (Uttarakhand)

Road to Puerto Rico

Mejo is set to begin intensive training under the direction of the national organization. Her preparation regimen will focus on high-fashion styling, fitness, communication mastery, and stage presence before she travels to Puerto Rico to compete for India's fourth global Miss Universe crown.