New Delhi: 19-year-old Kaziya Liz Mejo from Kerala has made her mark across the country by winning the title of Miss Universe India 2026. He won this crown by leaving behind 52 other contestants in the grand finale held on Sunday in Jaipur. Now his next challenge will be on the international stage. Kazia will participate on behalf of India in the 75th Miss Universe pageant to be held in Puerto Rico in November.
Vaishnavi Ganesh of Tamil Nadu was the first runner up in the competition. Anushree Satwalekar of Gujarat secured the second runner-up position. Anushree also received the title of Miss International India 2026. Kaziya's victory is also special because she has become the first Keralite to win the Miss Universe India crown.
Who is Kazia Liz Mezzo?
Kaziya is a resident of Mavelikkara, Kerala. She is a law student and along with studies, is also working in the field of modeling. However, her entry into the world of beauty pageants is not recent. He started making his mark at a very young age. At the age of 17, Kaziya won the title of Miss Teen Diva 2024. After this, in 2025, she represented India in the Miss Teen International competition and became the first runner-up. This year she also won the crown of Miss Universe Kerala 2026. Now the national title has given a new milestone to his journey.
Childhood spent in Abu Dhabi
Kazia was born in 2007 and spent her childhood in Abu Dhabi. He studied at Emirates National School, St. Joseph's School and Abu Dhabi Indian School. Since childhood, he has been interested in creative activities along with studies. Kazia has trained in classical dance for about 12 years. She is also interested in singing and knows how to play drums and violin. Apart from this, he has also shown his talent in public speaking and acting.
Has also tried her hand in films
Apart from beauty pageants, Kazia has also entered the world of acting. He started his film career with the Malayalam film 'Shylock'. It is clear from this that along with modeling, she has also been associated with the entertainment world.
Now keeping an eye on the Miss Universe stage
Apart from former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, the jury of the national finale held in Jaipur included celebrities like Urvashi Rautela and Celina Jaitley. Now the biggest stage is in front of Kazia. She will represent India in Puerto Rico in November and compete for the international title of Miss Universe.