Shimla student wins bronze at Commonwealth event

In a remarkable achievement, Pritha Doegar, a Class XI Humanities student of Auckland House School, has won the bronze award in the prestigious Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition-2025. Her accomplishment stands out among a record-breaking 53,434 entries received from 56 member countries of the Commonwealth — a 53 per cent increase from 2024.

Pritha’s essay, submitted in the Senior Category on the theme “Human beings have always needed the connection of literature — its wisdom as well as its sheer escapism,” inspired by a quote from Her Majesty Queen Camilla, offered profound reflections on the transformative power of books and how literature can transport readers into worlds of imagination and emotion.

Her achievement was formally conveyed by Janet Cooper, OBE, a member of the organising committee, who congratulated Pritha and encouraged her to continue sharing her creative voice with the wider Commonwealth community.