Kaziah Liz Mejo, 19, has begun the journey of a lifetime. The newly crowned Miss Universe India 2026 has left for Puerto Rico, where she will represent the country at the 75th Miss Universe pageant. The grand finale will take place on November 24 in San Juan. Born in the UAE and raised in Abu Dhabi, Mejo also has family roots in Kerala. Now, she carries India’s hopes onto one of the world’s biggest beauty stages.
A saree, a crown and a flag at Delhi airport
Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi became the setting for Mejo’s farewell appearance before her flight to Puerto Rico. She wore an embroidered maroon saree with a matching blouse, a statement necklace, earrings and bangles. Her long curls fell freely over her shoulders.
The crown was with her. So was the luggage, her team and the Indian flag. The Miss Universe India organisation shared photographs of her departure on Instagram, writing, “A queen carries more than a crown; she carries the dreams and hopes of a nation.”
Discover Puerto Rico’s official account joined the celebration with a warm message: “Welcome to the Island, Miss India! We’re so excited to have you!”
Growing up in Abu Dhabi
Mejo was born in the UAE in 2007 and spent her childhood in Abu Dhabi. Her school years took her through Emirates National School, St Joseph’s School and Abu Dhabi Indian School.
Her family comes from Mavelikkara in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. Those roots remain part of her story, even as she prepares to represent India on an international stage.
Away from pageants, Mejo is a law student at Manipal Law School. She also works as a model, balancing classes and professional commitments while preparing for the demands of an international competition.
From teen titles to the national crown
The pageant journey began to gather pace in 2024. At 17, Mejo won Miss Teen Diva, securing her first major title and opening the door to international competition.
A year later, she represented India at Miss Teen International in Jaipur. She finished as the first runner-up, while Spain’s Lorena Ruiz took the crown. The result gave her experience on a global stage before she entered the adult pageant circuit.
In 2026, Mejo won Miss Universe Kerala, becoming the youngest titleholder in the state’s history. The state victory brought her closer to the national contest. She went on to win Miss Universe India, becoming the first woman from Kerala to claim the national title.
Her rise has been swift. Each competition brought a new test, and the next one will be considerably bigger.
The Jaipur finale
On August 23, 2026, the Miss Universe India grand finale took place at Zee Studios in Jaipur. Mejo emerged ahead of 52 finalists and received the crown from outgoing winner Manika Vishwakarma, Miss Universe India 2025.
Vaishnavi Gannesh of Tamil Nadu finished first runner-up and was also crowned Miss International India 2026. Anushri Satavlekar of Gujarat secured second runner-up.
The jury was led by Sushmita Sen, India’s first Miss Universe, who won the international title in 1994. Celina Jaitly, Urvashi Rautela and Rhea Singha also joined the panel.
Mejo struggled to hide her excitement after the result. “I feel so on top of the world.”
Dancer, singer, violinist
Pageantry is only one part of Mejo’s life. She has trained in classical dance for 12 years and also enjoys singing. Music takes another form through her instruments. She plays both the violin and drums, giving her a creative life beyond modelling and law studies.
What waits in San Juan
The 75th Miss Universe competition will take place at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan. Organisers have billed the anniversary event as the “Diamond Edition”.
Delegates begin arriving on November 8. The national costume show follows on November 21, with preliminary competition scheduled for November 22. The final takes place on November 24.
Around 130 countries and territories are expected to participate. Uganda, the Republic of the Congo, South Sudan and Saint Martin are among the debuting participants this year.
Reigning Miss Universe Fatima Bosch of Mexico will crown her successor. India has won the international title three times, through Sushmita Sen in 1994, Lara Dutta in 2000 and Harnaaz Sandhu in 2021. Kaziah Liz Mejo Miss Universe 2026 now has a chance to chase a fourth crown for the country.
Two homes, one flag
There is something striking about Mejo’s journey. Her childhood unfolded in Abu Dhabi, where school mornings and familiar streets shaped her early years. Her family story leads back to Kerala, while her next public appearance will place her before an international audience as India’s representative.
Three places now have a reason to follow her closely. The UAE can see a girl it watched grow up stepping onto a global stage. Kerala can cheer for someone whose family roots lie in its soil. India, meanwhile, gets to claim the flag she carries.
That is quite a lot of homes to keep happy. Mejo has one competition ahead, but a crowd of places cheering her on.
Aryan Gupta is a 2016 graduate of Delhi University, India. After working over a decade as an additional writer at TheScoopVilla, he decided to start his own news publication. His coverage focuses on celebrity updates, film announcements, movie releases, entertainment trends, celebrity profiles, career stories and developments from the Indian entertainment industry. Through his articles and editorials, Amit aims to provide readers with timely, informative and engaging entertainment coverage. Follow On Facebook.