Ink & brushes for I-Day: Shimla schools gear up for competitions

In a bid to foster patriotism and creative expression among students, the Shimla district administration has announced essay writing and painting competitions across schools in the district ahead of Independence Day.

According to the official notification, the contests will be held in two categories — junior and senior. Students from Classes IX to XII will be eligible to participate in both essay writing and painting competitions under the senior category. For the junior category, students from Classes VI to VIII can take part in the painting competition only.

These competitions will be organised in schools across all 21 administrative blocks of Shimla district and must be completed by August 5. Following the block-level events, each block will select one winner per competition. The names of these winners will be submitted to the Deputy Director of Education, Shimla, who will shortlist the top three winners in each category. The final list will be sent to the District Magistrate’s office by August 10. The winners and runners-up will be honoured at the official Independence Day function on August 15.

A special exhibition featuring the winning paintings from all blocks will also be held in Shimla as part of the celebrations.

For the senior essay writing competition, students will write on one of three themes: “Freedom is a Priceless Gift,” “Independence Day: Story of Struggle, Values and Duties,” and “Preparation for Future Challenges is Our Freedom.” Essays should be between 500 to 550 words and written in Hindi, English or Sanskrit. The duration of the competition will be two and a half hours. The use of the internet, books or any external assistance will not be allowed and essays with plagiarism exceeding 20 percent will be disqualified. All entries must be factually accurate and clearly argued.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Verma said the themes for the senior painting competition include “Golden Future of India,” “Struggle and Sacrifice of India’s Freedom Fighters” and “Military Power of India.” The junior painting competition will revolve around themes such as “My Great India,” “Unity in Diversity” and “Natural Beauty of India.” Each painting must be completed within three hours and measure 18x20 inches or 45x50 cm. Students may use high-quality sheets, canvas, wood or fabric for their work.

The administration has also announced cash prizes for the winners. In both the senior and junior categories, the first prize will carry a reward of Rs 5,000, second prize Rs 3,000 and third prize Rs 2,000.

ADC Verma said the initiative aims to encourage young minds to reflect on India’s freedom movement and its future while showcasing their artistic and literary talents.