Jaipur: Kaziah Liz Mejo was crowned the winner at the grand finale on August 23, beating 52 other contestants for the national title. Her win also created history for Kerala, making her the first woman from the state to be crowned Miss Universe India.
But behind the glittering crown is a young woman who has spent years preparing for moments like this.
Kaziah, a law student and model, has been part of the pageant world since she was a teenager. She won Miss Teen Diva in 2024 at the age of 17 and went on to represent India at Miss Teen International 2025, where she finished as the first runner-up.
Instead of stopping there, she returned to the pageant circuit with an even bigger goal. Earlier this year, she won the Miss Universe Kerala 2026 title and became the youngest winner of the state competition.
Her journey has not been limited to beauty pageants. Kaziah spent much of her childhood in Abu Dhabi and studied at schools there before pursuing law. She has trained in classical dance for 12 years and has also developed an interest in music, acting and modelling. She can sing and play the drums and violin and has also appeared on the big screen, making her Malayalam film debut in Shylock.
At the Miss Universe India finale, it was not just appearance that was tested. The contestants faced questions designed to reveal how they think and communicate under pressure.
One of Kaziah’s answers stood out. When asked about the “sound of silence” in her life, she spoke about the quiet moment before stepping onto a stage. Rather than describing it as frightening, she connected it with a sense of peace and belonging.
That answer perhaps summed up her journey best. The stage that once represented a dream has now become the place where she earned her biggest title.
Kaziah was crowned by outgoing Miss Universe India Manika Vishwakarma. Tamil Nadu’s Vaishnavi Gannesh finished as first runner up and received the Miss International India 2026 title. Gujarat’s Anushri Satavlekar was second runner up, followed by Tejaswini Shrivastava and Anubha Vashist Chaudhary.
Kaziah’s next stop is Puerto Rico, where she will represent India at the 75th Miss Universe competition in November 2026.
For Kerala, it is a historic win. For Kaziah, it is another step toward a dream that is only getting bigger.
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