Kaziah Liz Mejo, a 19-year-old law student from Mavelikkara in Kerala, was crowned Miss Universe India 2026 at Zee Studios in Jaipur, Rajasthan on 23 August 2026. She became the first woman from Kerala to win the national title after competing against 52 finalists and was crowned by outgoing winner Manika Vishwakarma. Her victory earns her the right to represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 24 November 2026.
Who is Kaziah Liz Mejo and How Did She Win Miss Universe India 2026?
Kaziah Liz Mejo is a 19-year-old model and law student from Mavelikkara in Alappuzha district, Kerala. Born in 2007, she spent most of her childhood in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where she studied at Emirates National School, St Joseph’s School and Abu Dhabi Indian School before returning to India for higher studies in law. That multicultural schooling is often credited by her for strong communication skills and stage confidence.
Her profile extends well beyond academics and modelling. She is a professionally trained classical dancer for 12 years, and she also sings and plays the drums and violin. She is a public speaker and began acting as a child artist in the Malayalam film Shylock. At the finale, she impressed the judges in the closing remarks round where finalists had to speak within 40 seconds, a test of clarity and poise under pressure.
Mejo’s pageant journey has been steady and fast. She won Miss Teen Diva 2024 at age 17, represented India at Miss Teen International 2025 where she finished as first runner-up, and earlier in 2026 was crowned Miss Universe Kerala 2026 as the youngest winner of that state title. That state win gave her direct entry to the national finals in Jaipur.
Kaziah Liz Mejo Biography at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kaziah Liz Mejo |
| Age | 19 years (born 2007) |
| Hometown | Mavelikkara, Alappuzha, Kerala |
| Education | Law student, schooling in Abu Dhabi at Emirates National School, St Joseph’s School, Abu Dhabi Indian School |
| Skills | Classical dance (12 years), singing, drums, violin, public speaking |
| Acting | Child artist in Malayalam film Shylock |
| Previous Titles | Miss Teen Diva 2024, Miss Teen International 2025 first runner-up, Miss Universe Kerala 2026 |
| Current Title | Miss Universe India 2026, first woman from Kerala to win |
What Happened at the Miss Universe India 2026 Finale in Jaipur?
The third edition of Miss Universe India under the Glamanand Group was held at Zee Studios in Jaipur, Rajasthan on 23 August 2026. The grand finale started at 7 pm IST and was streamed live globally on the Glamanand YouTube channel. According to the organisers, the 2026 cycle considered about 8,000 to 9,000 aspirants from 31 states and union territories, with auditions beginning in February 2026. Fifty two national finalists reached Jaipur after state crowns and wildcard national auditions.
The road to the finale moved across four cities. The sashing ceremony was held in Jaipur on 19 July, a gala round in Jaipur on 24 July, the swimsuit competition at Wonderla Resort, Bengaluru on 29 July, and a Sufi night at Unwind Resort, Indore on 8 August. The final evaluation included introduction, speech, evening gown and interview rounds designed to test personality, confidence and stage presence, not just appearance. The winners were announced around 2.30 am after a close contest among the Top 5.
At the end of the evening, Manika Vishwakarma, Miss Universe India 2025, crowned Kaziah Liz Mejo as her successor. The final placements were announced by the Miss Universe India Organisation managed by Glamanand Entertainment Pvt Ltd:
| Placement | Winner | State | Additional Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miss Universe India 2026 | Kaziah Liz Mejo | Kerala | Will represent India at 75th Miss Universe |
| 1st Runner-up | Vaishnavi Gannesh | Tamil Nadu | |
| 2nd Runner-up | Anushri Satavlekar | Gujarat | Miss International India 2026 |
The Top 5 also included Tejaswini Shrivastava from Maharashtra and Anubha Vashisth from Uttarakhand. The Top 11 included Sritara Pasricha (Haryana), Pinky Basumatary (Assam), Anshika Choudhary (Rajasthan), Harshita Sahu (Madhya Pradesh), Riya Tirkey and Dipali Riya (Jharkhand) among others.
The jury was led by actor and former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen (Miss Universe 1994), with former Miss Universe India titleholders Urvashi Rautela and Celina Jaitly, film producer Pragya Kapoor, and Glamanand Chairman and National Director Nikhil Anand also on the panel. Miss Universe India 2024 Rhea Singha was present as well. The finale was presented by Pristine Luxury and powered by Bharat24 Vision of New India, with Dr Jagdeesh Chandra as chief guest.
What is Miss Universe India and How Does Glamanand Select the Winner?
Miss Universe is one of the Big Four international beauty pageants, founded in June 1952 in Long Beach, California, USA. Its parent organisation is the Miss Universe Organization (MUO), currently headquartered in New York, USA, and its slogan is Confidently Beautiful. The pageant is now owned by Thailand based JKN Global Group. It is considered the largest and most watched pageant globally, with 80 to 90 countries participating each year.
Miss Universe India is the national pageant that selects India’s official representative to Miss Universe. Until 2023, the franchise was operated as Miss Diva under Femina Miss India (The Times Group). In February 2024, the Glamanand Group acquired the exclusive franchise rights for India and launched the new avatar of Miss Universe India.
The Glamanand Group was founded in 2013 by Nikhil Anand and is headquartered in New Delhi. Its parent company is Glamanand Entertainment Pvt Ltd. The group also holds franchises for Miss International, Miss Earth, Miss Charm and Miss Teen International, and it organises Glamanand Supermodel India and Miss Teen Diva. Under the Glamanand era, state level pageants such as Miss Universe Kerala, Miss Universe Tamil Nadu, Miss Universe Rajasthan and others select state winners, while a national audition adds wildcard entries. Non Resident Indian finalists are also included. The first edition under Glamanand was held on 22 September 2024 at Zee Studios, Jaipur, won by Rhea Singha. The second edition in 2025 was won by Manika Vishwakarma of Rajasthan.
How is Miss Universe India Selected?
The selection process involves auditions, state finals, sashing and preliminary rounds that test interview skills, speech, evening gown presentation and swimwear, followed by the national finale. Winners also qualify for other global pageants under Glamanand, such as Miss International and Miss Charm.
What are the Eligibility Criteria for Miss Universe and Miss Universe India?
Eligibility has become more inclusive in recent years. The contestant must be a citizen of the country she represents and must be at least 18 years old. The upper age limit was removed in 2024, so there is no maximum age. Earlier, only single, unmarried and childless women aged 18 to 28 could compete, but since August 2022 the Miss Universe Organization allows married women, mothers and transgender women to participate. There is no official minimum height or weight requirement, though franchises advise proportionate fitness, and there is no mandated height in feet. The titleholder is expected to remain available for a year long reign, travel and advocacy work.
Prize and honour for the national winner includes the Miss Universe India crown, endorsements and the right to represent India internationally. The global Miss Universe winner receives the Mikimoto Crown, prize money of more than $250,000 and international endorsement contracts. The national crown price is not officially disclosed.
Where Will the 75th Miss Universe 2026 Be Held and What Makes Puerto Rico Special?
The 75th Miss Universe pageant, also called the Diamond Edition for its 75th anniversary, is scheduled for 24 November 2026 at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, popularly known as El Choliseo, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Miss Universe Organization announced Puerto Rico as host on 23 September 2025. The preliminary and final rounds will be held at this venue, which has a capacity of 18,500.
This will be the fourth time Puerto Rico hosts Miss Universe, after 1972, 2001 and 2002. The island territory of the United States in the Caribbean Sea has a strong pageant culture and has produced five Miss Universe winners despite its small population. Governor Jenniffer Gonzalez Colon confirmed the hosting and said the administration allocated $9 million in public funds through the Puerto Rico Tourism Company and Discover Puerto Rico to finance the event. Broadcasters for 2026 are listed as Roku, Telemundo and TV Azteca.
The pageant week schedule has been announced as:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 21 November 2026 | National Costume Show |
| 22 November 2026 | Preliminary Competition |
| 24 November 2026 | Grand Coronation Night |
Weeks before the finale, delegates will take part in cultural experiences, community initiatives, media events and partner activations across Puerto Rico. Where is Puerto Rico is a common search, it lies in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic, and its capital is San Juan. Reigning Miss Universe Fatima Bosch of Mexico, Miss Universe 2025, will crown her successor at this diamond jubilee edition.
Miss Universe vs Miss World: What is the Difference?
Both are part of the Big Four pageants but they have different owners, history and focus. Many readers search for Miss Universe vs Miss World which is bigger or which is better, so a direct comparison helps.
| Feature | Miss Universe | Miss World |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1952 in Long Beach, California, USA | 1951 in United Kingdom by Eric Morley |
| Owner | Miss Universe Organization, now under JKN Global Group (Thailand) | Miss World Organization, owned by Julia Morley family (UK) |
| Slogan | Confidently Beautiful | Beauty with a Purpose |
| Focus | Confidence, personality, communication and stage presence, plus advocacy | Charity and humanitarian work is central, with the Beauty with a Purpose project |
| Swimsuit Round | Yes, swimwear is retained | No, discontinued at the final show since 2014 |
| Eligibility Age | 18 years and above, no upper limit since 2024 | 17 to 27 years |
| Marital and Parental Status | Allows married women, mothers and transgender women since 2023 | Only single, unmarried and childless women |
| Typical Participation | 80 to 90 countries | More than 100 countries |
| Crown | Mikimoto Crown | Classic blue Miss World crown |
| Prize Scale | Larger monetary prize, more than $250,000 plus endorsements | Smaller monetary prize, greater emphasis on charity grants |
Both pageants give national winners a global platform, but Miss Universe is generally seen as larger in television viewership and production scale, while Miss World is seen as more purpose and charity driven.
Why is a First Kerala Win Significant for India’s Pageant History?
Kaziah Liz Mejo’s win is historic because no woman from Kerala had won Miss Universe India before 2026. Her victory brings regional representation to the national crown and shows the expanding reach of state level pageants introduced under Glamanand.
For India, the global Miss Universe record is modest but proud. India has won three Miss Universe crowns. Sushmita Sen won in 1994 at age 18 in the Philippines as the first Indian to win Miss Universe. Lara Dutta won in 2000 in Cyprus and scored 9.99, the highest recorded score in swimsuit and interview. Harnaaz Sandhu won in 2021 in Eilat, Israel, ending a 21 year gap since Lara Dutta’s win.
In the Big Four overall, India has also won six Miss World titles including Reita Faria (1966), Aishwarya Rai (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000) and Manushi Chhillar (2017) and one Miss Earth title by Nicole Faria (2010). India’s appearances in the Miss Universe semifinals from 1992 to 2002 made it the first country in the Eastern Hemisphere to place annually for ten consecutive years.
The last Indian to place highly at Miss Universe was Rhea Singha (Top 30 in 2024) after winning the first Glamanand edition. A strong performance by Kaziah Liz Mejo in San Juan would strengthen the Glamanand era’s credibility as it prepares for 2027 and reinforce Jaipur, Rajasthan as India’s emerging pageant capital where all three Glamanand finals (2024, 2025, 2026) have been held at Zee Studios.
For Kerala, the win is expected to boost local pageant participation and give the state a new role model who combines academics, classical arts and public speaking, qualities that both Miss Universe and competitive exam boards value in youth leadership.
Key Takeaways
- Kaziah Liz Mejo, 19, from Mavelikkara, Kerala won Miss Universe India 2026 on 23 August 2026 at Zee Studios, Jaipur, becoming the first woman from Kerala to win the title.
- She was crowned by Manika Vishwakarma (Miss Universe India 2025) after competing against 52 finalists, with Vaishnavi Gannesh (Tamil Nadu) as 1st runner-up and Anushri Satavlekar (Gujarat) as 2nd runner-up and Miss International India 2026.
- The national pageant is organised by the Glamanand Group, founded in 2013 by Nikhil Anand, headquartered in New Delhi, which has held the Miss Universe India franchise since February 2024.
- Kaziah will represent India at the 75th Miss Universe (Diamond Edition) on 24 November 2026 at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the island’s fourth hosting after 1972, 2001 and 2002.
- India has won Miss Universe three times: Sushmita Sen (1994), Lara Dutta (2000) and Harnaaz Sandhu (2021), with Miss Universe founded in 1952 and Miss World in 1951.
- Since 2024, Miss Universe has no upper age limit and since 2023 allows married women, mothers and transgender women, while Miss World still requires contestants to be single, unmarried and childless aged 17 to 27 and has no swimsuit round since 2014.
