Entries invited for Telangana International Story Awards 2026

Nizamabad:Harida Writers’ Association president Ghanapuram Devender said the competition aimed to highlight Telangana’s cultural identity, lifestyle and linguistic heritage. Entries must be original, unpublished stories written in the Telangana dialect, reflecting the region’s spirit and traditions. Translations, adaptations and stories previously shared on social media or submitted to other competitions will not be accepted.

The first prize carries Rs 10,000, while nine other selected stories will receive Rs 1,000 each, along with recognition. The awards will be presented at the association’s annual conference at Navya Bharathi Global School in Nizamabad on December 4.

Interested writers must email their stories and a signed declaration to haridaasaraswathiraj@gmail.com by October 30.

Entries must be typed in Unicode font, size 14, on A4 pages and must not exceed eight pages. Authors should not mention their names on the story pages; personal details must be provided separately in the declaration. For details, contact 9030033331, Devender said.

Meanwhile, Telangana Jagruthi founder and Telangana Rakshana Sena chief Kalvakuntla Kavitha has described Telangana as a living language whose literature appeals equally to scholars and ordinary readers. She praised the Harida Writers’ Association for its efforts to preserve the richness, idioms, expressions and proverbs of Telangana for future generations.

Kavitha unveiled the wall poster for the ‘Saraswathiraj–Harida International Best Telangana Story Award–2026’ at the Jagruthi office in Banjara Hills. She said the international-level competition offered a valuable opportunity for writers to showcase their talent in the Telangana dialect and urged eligible authors to participate.

Actress Ananya Nagalla said stories were an effective medium to preserve a region’s language and culture for future generations. She appreciated the association’s initiative to identify and encourage talented writers.