Winning Entries 2026
Building knowledge about our cities from and for our cities
Shree Shakthi S, Chennai
Special Mention, English
READ THE ENTRY Soon
Muskan Sharma, Udaipur
Special Mention, English
READ THE ENTRY Soon
Suhani Joshi, Nainital
Special Mention, Hindi
READ THE ENTRY Soon
Ananjay Sharma, Gwalior
Special Mention, Hindi
READ THE ENTRY Soon
My City's Eye Witness
Nagrika's Annual Youth Writing Contest • 7th Edition
This year's contest brought together young writers from across India, each telling the story of their city’s evolution from the perspective of a non-human witness in a public space, that has silently witnessed the city change over time.
THE WINNERS ARE IN! STAY TUNED TO READ THE ENTRIES!
ABOUT
Every year, we ask young Indians one big question about the cities they live in. Essays, letters, stories — we want your honest, unfiltered voice.
Ideas to Explore in Your Entry
Witness
Every city has witnesses that have seen it evolve.
Tell the story of your city’s evolution from the perspective of a non-human witness in a public space, that has silently witnessed the city change over time.
What has this witness seen over the years? How has the city changed around it? What has disappeared, what has arrived, and what has remained? What does this witness remember about people, streets, seasons, festivals, transport, buildings, markets, rivers, public spaces, or everyday life?
Be as specific and local as possible—mention landmarks, street names, seasonal events, conversations, or smells and sounds that make your city unique. Anyone who reads your entry should be able to truly feel and see your city .
The entry may be fictional, reflective, historical, humorous, or deeply personal. But it must be rooted in a real city and a real witness.
Through the voice of this witness, we invite you to bring alive the story of your city as a lived journey across time.
Witness
CURRENT THEME
ABOUT
Every year, we ask young Indians one big question about the cities they live in. This year, we received essays, letters and stories with their unfiltered voice.
We received over 200 entries from 114 cities across the country, each offering a different way of seeing and understanding a city.
The witnesses that emerged were as varied as the cities themselves narrating stories of change, memory, everyday life and the places that make a city what it is. We had a rusted red lamp-post at a three-way junction witnessing six-lane asphalt erase sacred banyan shade in the city of Tilhar.
We had a Narmada Ghat witnessing the receding Sal forests of Satpura, listening to the unsaid emotions of ancestral memories, and watching an old river shore transform from quiet forest trails into the noisy tarmac of modern transit in Mandla. We also had a 124-year-old stone chautara in Kalimpong, witnessing generations come and go-from mule trains and misty monsoon rains to political agitations and the departures of youth.
An industrial titan also bore witness to Kolkata’s evolving soul-watching partition refugee colonies take root, assembly sirens yield to morning fish and vegetable bazaars, and deindustrialisation give way to app-based gig workers and electric autos.
Meet the writers whose stories brought their cities to life, and see their cities through their eyes.
STAY TUNED TO READ THE ENTRIES!
Witness
CURRENT THEME
WHY PARTICIPATE
Win big. Get published. Make your voice heard.
Prizes are awarded separately for English and Hindi entries — giving you double the chances to win.
All Winners also recieve
• Published on the Nagrika Website
• Promoted across Nagrika's social media
• Certificate of Excellence
• Exclusive Nagrika Goodies
• Opportunity to intern with Nagrika
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WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
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You are between 18 and 30 years old as of 31st July 2026
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You are a resident of India
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You have a valid Indian bank account and PAN card
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Your entry is original and unpublished
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You are writing in English or Hindi (prose only)
ENTRY RULES
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Prose only — essays, stories, letters, biographies (1,000–3,000 words)
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Only one entry per participant is allowed
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Submit via the official Google Form as .doc, .docx or PDF (max 10 MB)
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AI-generated content (ChatGPT etc.) is not allowed
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Previous main prize winners of the Nāgrika Writing Contest are not eligible to win a prize again. Previous special mention awardees may apply.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW
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By submitting, you grant Nāgrika non-exclusive rights to publish your work online or in print.
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All entries must be the original work of the author. Use of AI writing tools is not allowed.
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The decision of the jury is final. Names are anonymised during evaluation.
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Nāgrika team members and their immediate families are not eligible for prizes.