| 24min Read
Published on May 6, 2026
NYAC Blogs
The Echo of Our Choices
The Echo of Our Choices ‘It is our choices, far more than our abilities, that show who we truly are’- Albus Dumbledore, ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’. Countless times in life, we encounter people who may be very intelligent, very talented. However, sometimes no matter how talented they are, you just can’t seem […]
Memory Loss
Memory Loss On March 27th, when I was driving home after work, I saw something strange; a man, looking like he was in his mid-20s, was being dragged into a van in front a house, and moreover, that man seemed sweaty and extremely pale. The men dragging him were wearing gloves and masks, I observed […]
The Mirror Between Worlds
The Mirror Between Worlds Yutika’s longing for her brother was over, he was coming over for the sumer. The Rathores were going on a road trip to the ruins of Rajasthan tomorrow. The twins always stayed together. Yutika wakes up with a greeting from the sunlight. She sees her brother blushing while chatting with someone. […]
The Ruins in the Space Between
The Ruins in the Space Between When you feel horror, what comes to your mind? Jumpscares unnerving, Voices petrifying, But is the chill going down your spine? Residing in Udaipur is Mridula, an aspiring architect- sweet, stubborn and her mother’ssweetheart. She has been dreaming of becoming an architect since the age of 8 and her […]
Enjoy the Ride
Enjoy the Ride Avanti romanticized a life without having to worry about children. For one, she could retire from her busy job as a professor of Biology. She could spend hours with her husband, and perhaps they could travel more. She could hire a cook and finally forget the diet requirements of her three children. […]
PEAK BLESSED OR DISTRESSED
PEAK BLESSED OR DISTRESSED We reach the starting point and I suppress a shiver. The summit is very high up and the chilly winds don’t make it any more comforting. We were given ropes, knifes, harnesses and oxygen tanks. All I feel is excitement. You see; other family’s go to resorts and hotels to relax […]
The day when every screen went dark
The day when every screen went dark For someone who loves words, it is wondrous how often they fail me. The fluorescent lights are bright-too bright-as they glare angrily, reflecting off the surface of the lab’s linoleum tiles. The sterile stench of disinfectant follows me as I enter the observation room. A large sheet of […]
Always weird
Always weird I always thought I was weird. Not because I looked strange or did irregular things. I just sort of felt like the puzzle piece of another jigsaw trying to fit in one that had no space for it. The problem was I never found that jigsaw I was supposed to belong in. […]
The exam that never ends
The exam that never ends I jolted up from my bed, sweat trickling down my forehead. A sudden realization hit me, I have my science final today, and I don’t feel prepared even though I studied well! I got ready as usual and went downstairs to get breakfast. After finishing my studying-while-eating ritual, I left […]
THE LAST DAY
THE LAST DAY The world as we knew it had come to an end. There was a huge blow of dust that smacked into my face, in the middle of a dry field. The war zone. I held my rival’s collar in the air as I removed the knife from his back and tossed him […]
Boy
Boy “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” – George Santayana It looked as if he were just moving into the flat. It was empty and free of furniture. In reality, he was leaving. There were several cardboard boxes placed precariously on a table, and in front of it stood Boy. Yes, he […]
Perfect
Perfect There was a café on the beachside. He was fixated on the water. “Ohh? You’ve never met anymore more beautiful?” He hesitated, “Nope.” “That hitch says otherwise.” “Okay there was one girl…” “Talking about another girl on a date? How cruel.” “C’mon Bella, you brought it up!” “I’m kidding dummy!” She took a sip. […]
Wonder
Wonder I wonder every day, if I can time travel? Go to space? What not? Turns out I am not the only one. Are you out there too? Thinking about the same? Wondering? You know the feeling, the instinct, that something is happening…Going to happen? I had that too…sadly, on a good sunny Sunday morning. […]
𝖲𝗉𝖾𝗅𝗅𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽
Spellbound I am out with lanterns, looking for myself. – Emily Dickinson It was a warm autumn evening in Edinburgh, one that reminded Ruelle of the older days. She wrapped her scarf tight and left her cabin. A gust of wind whirled in her face, making her shudder. The book in her hands was as […]
I hold human hands
I hold human hands After death, there are those brave ones, determined ones, excited ones, and even fearful and reluctant ones who decide to go on. Whereas the cowardly ones, scared of change, ones who have always feared the unknown, decide that they would rather settle for the loose, translucent life that is but a […]
Birthday of Combined Dreams
Birthday of Combined Dreams Alora woke up early in the morning. Although she kept her eyes shut tight. She told herself firmly. Dream of a weird colony full of different creatures. “It was a dream,” There was an abruptly loud tapping noise. “Happy birthday!” bawled her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton. Alora quickly got ready […]
A Ray of Hope
A Ray of Hope Boom! The world shook and everything went dark. I woke up in a room, which had all the walls painted white and a blue curtain beside my bed, to the left. Attached to my arm were two machines. One seemed like a pulse reader, and the other might have been an […]
The Ignoramus Director
The Ignoramus Director “Lights, camera, action!” the Director called. Moments later the stage lights flicker on, the camera starts rolling, and all that is captured is a burst of gunpowder and Alex’s collapse mid-scene. “Lissy, you were supposed to fire in the next scene, not now! Alex get up.” the Director hissed. “But Sir, I […]
Tomorrow’s Headlines
Tomorrow’s Headlines “Ethan, it’s time for school, wake up!” my dad called out. Still groggy, I yawned, rubbed my eyes and went back to sleep. My dad then came into the room, exasperated that I had not gotten up, so he pulled open the curtains and let the morning light spill into the room. “Fine!” […]
Fruitful Life?
Fruitful Life? Everyone was in the veranda, murmuring with jars of ostentatious liquid—”chai.” In her room, all locked up, Anvie was crying profusely. The tears made the cornea of her eyes glisten, in which she saw the trail of memories, retaining daughter-mother synergy. **** It was the death anniversary of Anvie’s mother. The house was […]
The Thing in the Reflection
The Thing in the Reflection “You wouldn’t believe it”, grumbled the old, scarred face from behind the veiling hood. “Noteven if I told it to you.” The group of young listeners leaned in, with poker faces as a charade to their heightened sense of inquiry. Their exuberant visages seemed incongruous with the dark, cavernous pub […]
Rains of Rajasthan
Rains of Rajasthan Frank’s father was transferred to India. Now the family lives in Rajasthan in a place called Barmer. The transition was substantial for the Scottish lad, it was supposed to be the cool season of September and this ‘cool’ season gave the boy a mild heatstroke the first week of being there. The […]
At Eternity’s Gate
At Eternity’s Gate I am a sick man, always have been. it’s just that now I am a sick old man in a hospital whose illness shows for once. In my time as a director, I’ve seen my fair share of gore, and it had always been my speciality for directing hospital scenes, and why […]
One Fine Day
One Fine Day It was a serene day in late July, the kind that makes you think nothing could ever change until I heard he was leaving. I tried not to think about it. But then, as usual, I failed. I pretended to listen to the class. But all I could think of was him. […]
Indifference Is A Sin Against Life
Indifference Is A Sin Against Life Today I saw another dead body. It shouldn’t have been different from any other day, but it was. Every day is a new kind of grief when you are at war. “War” is what they call it. “War” on a people who have done nothing but exist in peace […]
Break of Dawn
Break of Dawn Eyes in search of an omnipresent God, his wandering irises rested upon the storm clouds that had obscured the sun—though the stubborn sun refused to fade out completely. Not much further, people hurried out of buildings to get home as soon as possible—a storm was coming. Ever since the cancer patient had […]
Witness: Zero
Witness: Zero November 12, 1888 The late nineteenth century in London is not a pleasant place or time to live in. As the 1880s come to an end, danger is at my doorstep. A series of murders following five females, Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddows, and Mary Jane Kelly has stirred […]
Somewhere Out There
Somewhere Out There Somewhere out there, in a little town far away, lay a little cottage. In it lived an even more little girl. She was Holly. Holly was a playful trickster. She had short, golden hair tied in a bun, obscured by the green hat she wore at all times. Her eyes used to […]
LOST JACKET
LOST JACKET I ran across the lobby a minute before closing to give back the form. The lost and found form. The lost-and-found form said: Object Description: Blue jacket. Slightly faded. Three inside pockets. One front pocket. That’s all that was written. But it wasn’t just a jacket. My mom said,“Never mind. Save up and […]
We Will Still Wed, If You Ever Decide to Come Back
We Will Still Wed, If You Ever Decide to Come Back I cry as I write this, still mourning a future that was never even fully proofed. W e never really wanted the picket fences and a big suburban villa though. Y ou had your ambitions, and I had mine. There was a gap in […]
The Hellebore Garden
The Hellebore Garden The Winter Curse had started five miserable years ago. Vicious winds, unforgiving snow and scarce supplies. It had swept in uninvited. It refused to leave. And with it had come the Frojan soldiers. Also uninvited. Also refusing to leave. Or allowing others to. ‘Good lord, stop staring outside, April,’ aunt Lana chided […]
Shadows of Expectations
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The Rain Riddle
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Breaking Apart
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The Cloud of Rurest Sweetness
The Cloud of Rurest Sweetness There lived in a small town Maya, a very lively girl with a great sense of humour. One thing that fascinated her the most was “candies”. I am going outside to meet my friend ” said Maya in exclamation. Now comes Riya Maya’s best friend. “Hey! Maya look what I […]
The Merchants of Mirth : In pursuit of Shadows
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SACRE BLEU
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The Blank Canvas
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The Movie
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Refresh
Refresh I hit refresh. The screen of my old Dell laptop went blank for a second before returning back to the results page. I’ve practically memorised my roll number by heart after typing it again and again. My right hand was moving the mouse randomly, and my left hand was squeezing a stress ball at […]
Borders
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A New Start
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The Museum Where it all Began
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Finesse Fatigue
Finesse Fatigue Only a few hours remained to be passed in a frantic haze before all my efforts came to fruition in a day. The big day loomed as I sat oblivious to the external universe in deep preparation. As my fingers flew across the piano keys in a flurry which had long since attributed […]
Happy Birthday, Tasty Boy!
Happy Birthday, Tasty Boy! My watch clicks once every second, loud enough to feel like it’s inside my skull. 11:59. The house is dead. My watch clicks over to 12:00 a.m. That’s when I step onto the porch. The house looks ordinary, maybe too ordinary. No lights, no music, no decorations. Just a quiet family […]
Autumn’s Brews
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Unconditioning Ruth Walker
Unconditioning Ruth Walker Ruth Walker had lived her life, working hard to make her way to the top. She was now the CEO of the biggest oil exporter in all of the seven seas. She had moved her way up, slowly but swiftly, office politics was a game to her. She handled media and press […]
The Living Illusion
The Living Illusion Ebony celestial skies embellished by Luna herself; gazing upon folks with quietness. The sky crammed with silhouette of bright colours, inking the clouds with strokes of revolution. Even the clouds couldn’t recognize them. All they seemed like were, figure of something close to our own reality. They seem ours. Yet alien. Bizarre […]
Big Red Education And Penguin Announce Winners Of
National Young Authors Challenge
Celebrating a Nationwide Journey of Storytelling, Creativity, and the Discovery of Young Voices.
New Delhi, 12th May 2026: Big Red Education, in partnership with Penguin Random House India, proudly announces the winners of the first-ever National Young Authors Challenge, marking the culmination of a remarkable journey that brought together young storytellers from across the country.
Launched in September 2025, the challenge set out to empower students in Grades 8–12 to explore their creativity and find their voice through storytelling. Over the past few months, it has evolved into more than just a competition, it has been a platform for expression, reflection, and growth. From first-time writers to seasoned young storytellers, participants embraced the opportunity to share their ideas, perspectives, and imagination with the world.
The results, announced on 20th April 2026, celebrate not only the winners but every student who took the step to write, express, and create. The journey has been deeply inspiring, with students discovering the power of their own voice and the impact of their stories.
The scale and diversity of participation further reflect the reach of the initiative, with 65+ schools, 800+ students across Grades 8–12, 45+ cities, and 1000 + story submissions contributing to this nationwide celebration of storytelling.
The top 50 selected entries will be published in an exclusive anthology by Penguin Random House India, edited and curated by acclaimed author Vibha Batra, offering these young writers a rare opportunity to see their work in print. Additionally, the next 50 outstanding entries will be featured on Penguin India’s official website, ensuring wider recognition for emerging voices.
As part of the journey, participants also attended an exclusive writing bootcamp held on 28th and 29th March, where they learned directly from leading voices in the literary ecosystem. The sessions were conducted by Shabnam Minwalla, Vinitha, Simran Kaur, and Kavya Wahi, covering the full spectrum of storytelling, from writing and editing to publishing and reaching readers.
The National Young Authors Challenge stands as a testament to the creative potential of young minds in India, encouraging them to think, create, and express without limits.
Looking ahead, Big Red Education is excited for the next season of the National Young Authors Challenge, with the vision of reaching even more students and continuing to help young writers across the country discover and amplify their voice.
*END*
About Big Red Eucation
Founded in 2016, Big Red Education is an India-based education firm offering transformative learning experiences beyond the classroom. Its programs prepare high school students to innovate, lead, and make a meaningful impact on a global stage.
About Penguin Random House India
Penguin Random House India is the country’s leading trade publisher, publishing over 450 new titles every year and managing a diverse backlist of more than 3,500 books. Our publishing spans literary and commercial fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books, from politics, history, memoir, and business to health, self-help, cookery, and culture.
We are home to some of India’s and the world’s most celebrated voices, including winners of the Nobel Prize, Booker Prize, Jnanpith Award, and Sahitya Akademi Award. Several of our authors have also been honoured with the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan, reflecting the influence of their work in literature and public life.
Penguin Random House India also serves as the exclusive distribution partner for several major international and local publishers, bringing books to readers across India and the subcontinent.
