Kaziah Liz Mejo’s victory caps more than three years of preparation and perseverance. After receiving the crown from Miss Universe India 2025 Manika Vishwakarma, the Kerala contestant said she was proud to take the title back to her home state.
BY PC Bureau
August 24: Nineteen-year-old Kaziah Liz Mejo from Kerala was crowned Miss Universe India 2026 at a glittering grand finale held at Zee Studios in Jaipur on Sunday, emerging from a field of 53 contestants to win the national title.
Miss Universe India 2025 Manika Vishwakarma crowned Mejo at the ceremony, formally passing on the title to her successor. Mejo will now represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant, scheduled to be held in Puerto Rico in November.
For Mejo, the victory marked the culmination of more than three years of preparation and perseverance. Speaking after her win, she described the moment as one she had worked towards for years and said she was proud to take the crown back to Kerala and showcase her hometown to an international audience.
READ: Manipur: Five Years On, Most Accused in Colonel Tripathi Killing Still at Large
VIDEO | Jaipur, Rajasthan: Nineteen-year-old Kaziah Liz Mejo becomes Miss Universe India 2026.
Actress Urvashi Rautela, who was part of the jury, says, “I just want to say that the feeling was extremely good. Fourteen years ago, when I was 17-and-a-half years old, my guru and… pic.twitter.com/MzHYhvwrRF
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 24, 2026
The 19-year-old also spoke about the personal challenges behind her journey to the national stage. She said the hardest struggle was often overcoming self-doubt and learning to believe in one’s own worth.
Mejo said competing at such a major national platform at 19 required courage and confidence, adding that overcoming those internal barriers made the victory even more meaningful.
Her win also marks the beginning of a new phase in her pageant journey, with the young Kerala contestant now preparing for the global competition. She will carry the hopes of Indian pageant fans to Puerto Rico, where contestants from across the world will compete for the Miss Universe crown.
With the Miss Universe India crown now secured, Mejo will turn her attention to the international stage, where she will represent India at the Miss Universe 2026 competition in Puerto Rico this November.
