Miss Universe Kerala Kaziah Liz Mejo Says She Was "Insecure" Of Her Looks: "No Unfiltered Picture For Years"

Ask Kaziah Liz Mejo about her biggest achievement, and she does not immediately talk about winning Miss Universe Kerala 2026. Instead, she talks about overcoming insecurity. 

Before the crown, the sash and the spotlight, there was a teenager who doubted almost everything about herself. Now, as she prepares for Miss Universe India, the 19-year-old has shared the lessons she learned on the way.

In a conversation with The New Indian Express, Kaziah recalled struggling with self-confidence and constantly doubting herself.

Kaziah Liz Mejo's Struggles With Self-Confidence

“For years, I didn't have a single unfiltered picture of myself. I was insecure about how I looked, my personality… almost everything,” she said.

According to Kaziah, the change did not happen overnight. She spent years working on different aspects of herself, including communication, personality and appearance. But one approach helped more than anything else.

“The turning point came when I started working on myself intentionally — my communication skills, personality, appearance and overall growth. But the biggest thing that helped me was the power of ‘fake it till you make it'. I tricked my brain into believing that I was the most confident person on earth and walked onto stages. People believed it — and eventually, I believed it too…”

The Mavelikkara native said her interest in pageantry began after watching India win Miss Universe in 2021.

“The first Miss Universe competition I watched was in 2021, when Harnaaz Sandhu won the crown for India after 20 years. I didn't know much about pageantry then, but seeing India win sparked something in me.”

Harnaaz Sandhu won Miss Universe 2021, ending India's 21-year wait for the crown. Before her, Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000 had brought the title home.

Responding to those who see beauty pageants as only about appearances, Kaziah said the experience offers much more.

“I think pageantry is often misunderstood. It's not just a show of physical beauty. Whether you win or not, it teaches you so much about yourself. It helps you find your voice, build confidence. It taught me resilience and discipline. The growth that happens along the way is valuable,” she concluded.

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