Kerala Law Student Kaziah Liz Mejo Wins Miss Universe India 2026

From Abu Dhabi Classrooms to a National Crown

Though she carries the Kerala sash, much of Mejo's early life was spent in Abu Dhabi, where she completed her schooling before pivoting to law and, in parallel, competitive pageantry. She first drew national attention when she represented India at Miss Teen International 2025, finishing as first runner-up, and swept the Miss Universe Kerala state title earlier this year en route to Sunday's win.

"This title is not just an achievement, it is a big responsibility. Representing India on the international stage is a matter of pride for me," she said in a statement issued by organisers after her win.

The Top Five and a Star-Studded Jury

Tamil Nadu's Vaishnavi Gannesh was named first runner-up and additionally crowned Miss International India 2026, adding a second international assignment to the night. Gujarat's Anushri Satavlekar finished second runner-up, followed by Maharashtra's Tejaswini Shrivastava (third runner-up) and Uttarakhand's Anubha Vashist Chaudhary (fourth runner-up).

The jury was headlined by 1994 Miss Universe Sushmita Sen — the first Indian to win the global crown — with former titleholders Urvashi Rautela, Celina Jaitly and 2024 winner Rhea Singha alongside her. Film producer Pragya Kapoor, entrepreneur Visha Ladhia and reigning Miss Charm 2025 Anna Blanco rounded out the panel. Each of the top five was asked to deliver a 40-second closing statement before the jury in the final round.

Glamanand's Third Edition, Bigger Reach

This marks the third consecutive edition of Miss Universe India under the Glamanand Group, which acquired the country's franchise in 2024. National Director Nikhil Anand said the pageant's brief remained straightforward: to give young women from across the country a national platform to showcase talent, personality and leadership. The scale — 52 finalists drawn from thousands of applications, and events staged across four cities — suggests the format has settled into rhythm after prior cycles that produced Rhea Singha and Manika Vishwakarma.

Why It Matters: India's Five-Year Wait

Mejo now carries India's tricolour into the 75th Miss Universe pageant in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in November 2026 — a stage no Indian delegate has topped since Harnaaz Sandhu in 2021. For the domestic pageant industry, that five-year gap is more than statistical: it directly feeds sponsor interest, media pull and future franchise valuations. A deep Puerto Rico run — a top 10 finish or better — would sharpen the Glamanand era's pitch heading into 2027 and reinforce Jaipur's growing status as India's pageant capital.