Entries invited for Bal Sahitya Samman 2026
Invitation for Pushplata Joshi Memorial Children’s Story Competition 2026
Entries invited for Ganga Adhikari Memorial Children’s Story Competition 2026
Submissions invited for Bal Prahari Magazine
Send children’s poems, drawings, and other creative works
Invitation for Bal Prahari Online Workshop
Support the magazine by taking a subscription to Bal Prahari
Invitation for Entries for Bal Sahitya Samman 2026
Bal Sahitya Sansthan, Almora, invites entries at the national level for the Bal Sahitya Samman 2026. A total of 10 selected authors will be honored in June 2026 at the National Children’s Literature Seminar आयोजित in Didihat, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.
Each selected author, upon attending the seminar, will be awarded a cash prize of ₹2100, along with a certificate of appreciation, a shawl, and a memento.
Awards will be given in various categories including lullabies, nursery rhymes, children’s songs, children’s poetry, short stories, novels, biographies, travelogues, memoirs, and one-act plays for children.
Interested authors may send three copies of their children’s literature books published between 2023 and 2025, along with their photograph and biodata, to the following address via registered post or courier by 01 April 2026:
Secretary, Bal Sahitya Sansthan
Darbarinagar, Almora, Uttarakhand – 263601
The panel constituted by the institution reserves the right to select books from different categories and to increase or decrease the number of awards.
Invitation for Pushpalata Joshi Memorial Children’s Story Competition 2026
Entries are invited at the All-India level from women writers for the Pushpalata Joshi Memorial Children’s Story Competition 2026 (established by Late Vipin Chandra Joshi, former Deputy Director of Education, Joshikhola, Almora, in memory of his wife Late Pushpalata Joshi).
Participants are required to submit a children’s story that either promotes scientific thinking among children or is based on girls’ education. The story must be neatly handwritten or typed and submitted in three copies. The maximum word limit is 800 words. The author’s name and address should not be mentioned on the manuscript.
Out of the selected entries, three stories will each be awarded a cash prize of ₹1000. Selected authors will be honored by Bal Prahari / Bal Sahitya Sansthan during a national seminar आयोजित in Uttarakhand in the month of June, with a cash award, memento, certificate, and shawl. If unable to attend, the prize money will be sent by cheque to the postal address.
The rights to publish the selected stories in Bal Prahari will remain with Bal Prahari / Bal Sahitya Sansthan. Other participants may also include consent for publication; selected publishable stories may also be featured in Bal Prahari. Authors are requested not to submit their entries elsewhere for publication until the selection process is complete. The decision of the selection panel constituted by Bal Sahitya Sansthan will be final.
Along with the story, applicants must send a covering letter including the title of the story, a declaration that the work is original and unpublished, a brief biodata, and a colored photograph.
Entries must reach by 1 April 2026 to the following address via registered post or courier:
Secretary, Bal Sahitya Sansthan
Darbarinagar, Almora, Uttarakhand – 263601
Invitation for Ganga Adhikari Memorial Children’s Story Competition 2026
Entries are invited at the all-India level for the Ganga Adhikari Memorial Children’s Story Competition 2026, sponsored by Mr. K.P.S. Adhikari (former member of the Juvenile Justice Board, Almora; educationist; and patron of Bal Prahari), resident of Pujakhet, Dwarahat, Almora, in memory of his late wife, Mrs. Ganga Adhikari.
Under this competition, participants are required to submit a children’s story on the theme of developing scientific thinking among children. The story must be neatly handwritten or typed and submitted in three copies. The maximum word limit is 800 words.
The name and address of the author should not be written on the manuscript.
The first three selected stories will receive cash prizes of ₹2500, ₹1500, and ₹1100 respectively. Additionally, five other outstanding stories will each receive ₹1000.
Selected authors will be honored by Bal Prahari / Bal Sahitya Sansthan, Almora during the National Seminar to be held in June 2026 at Didihat, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, where they will be presented with cash prizes, a memento, a certificate, and a shawl. If a participant is unable to attend, the prize money will be sent via cheque to their postal address.
The selected stories will be published in Bal Prahari, and the publication rights will remain with Bal Prahari / Bal Sahitya Sansthan. Other participants may also have their stories published in Bal Prahari if they provide consent along with their submission.
Participants are requested not to send their entries for publication elsewhere until the selection process is completed. The selection of stories will be made by a panel constituted by Bal Sahitya Sansthan.
Along with the story, participants must include a covering letter mentioning:
Title of the story
Declaration that the work is original and unpublished
Bio-data
One colored photograph
Entries must be sent by registered post or courier to the following address by 1 April 2026:
Secretary, Bal Sahitya Sansthan
Darbari Nagar, Almora
Uttarakhand – 263601
All three entries (if applicable) may be sent together in a single envelope.
For more information, contact: +91 9412162950
Uday Kiroola
Editor, Bal Prahari
Secretary, Bal Sahitya Sansthan
Darbari Nagar, Almora
Uttarakhand – 263601
Mobile: 9412162950
WhatsApp: 7088394370
Invitation for Submissions to Bal Prahari
Bal Prahari, a children’s magazine published continuously for the past 20 years from Almora, Uttarakhand with public support, invites children’s stories, poems, and other child-friendly creative works for publication.
At present, it is not possible to provide any honorarium.
Submissions may be sent via email.
They may also be sent by post to:
Editor, Bal Prahari
Darbari Nagar, Almora
Uttarakhand, India
Please avoid sending submissions via WhatsApp, as content may get deleted after some time. Kindly support us by sending your entries through email or post.
We hope for your cooperation and support.
For more information, you may contact: +91 9412162950
Send Children’s Drawings and Poems
If children at home, in the family, or among acquaintances enjoy drawing or writing poems and other creative content, their works can be sent via email to Balprahari for free publication.
The drawings must be original. Often, children copy drawings of figures like Mahatma Gandhi, lions, etc. from somewhere. While it is true that the child may have drawn it well by copying—and even adults may not be able to replicate it as well—the drawing should reflect the child’s own expression. For example, if a child draws a house, they may add a tree, a road, a clothesline, birds sitting on the wire, etc. In other words, the drawing should be created from the child’s imagination and originality.
Children can be encouraged to write original pieces on topics such as “My Mother,” “My Grandmother,” “An Incident of One Day,” “I Saw a Dream,” travel experiences, or events from their life. These topics leave no scope for copying.
Each issue of Balprahari also includes competitions such as General Knowledge, Story Writing, and Poetry Writing. Selected participants receive books or magazines as prizes by post.
Children can also send their passport-size photograph to join the Balprahari Children’s Club.
In every issue, around 12 pages are dedicated to publishing children’s creations. Our effort is to edit and publish children’s poems, stories, and other works wherever possible. However, it cannot be guaranteed that every drawing or picture will be published.
Some parents write on behalf of their children, which is not appropriate. You may guide the child, but encouraging them to think and write on their own will help develop their creativity. You can help improve their work and motivate them to write or draw on topics of their interest.
Each submission must include the child’s name, class, school, full address, and phone number.
For more information, you can contact: 9412162950
Children are Welcome in Balprahari’s Online Workshops
During the COVID period, to provide children with opportunities for expression, to introduce them to various forms of literature, to develop leadership qualities, and to support their overall development, Balprahari has been organizing online workshops through Google Meet and Facebook.
As of March 19, 2026, a total of 1,421 online workshops have been successfully conducted. Except for Thursdays and Fridays, these workshops are generally held 5 days a week. So far, around 3,500 children from 16 states across India have joined Balprahari. Out of these, nearly 3,500 children have already expressed themselves as Chairpersons. About 1,500 children have been given the opportunity to present their views as Special Guests.
Each day, a different child conducts the online workshop. So far, around 1,500 children have taken on the role of workshop coordinators.
To join the online workshop, one must first save Balprahari’s WhatsApp number 7088394370 on their mobile and send their name, class, school, location, and district. After that, they are added to the Balprahari group, where program updates are shared regularly. The child must then give consent for participation in the program of their interest. Initially, the child joins as a participant. After a few days, they are included in the Chairperson panel. Based on their performance in the chairperson’s speech, they are promoted to the role of a coordinator. After becoming a coordinator, the child is invited as a Special Guest in future programs. The selection of Chairperson, Coordinator, and Special Guest is made daily from the list of participating children. Therefore, some children get multiple opportunities for these roles.
The online workshops include activities such as reading textbook poems and stories, reciting self-written poems and stories, narrating folk tales heard from grandparents and parents, singing folk songs, patriotic songs, devotional songs, dance workshops, extempore speeches (where topics are given on the spot), autobiographical narration, group discussions, interviews, letter writing, etc. Renowned writers also present their stories and poems, after which children share their immediate feedback.
Parents play an important role in preparing children for these workshops. Around once a month, a special “Parent Conference” is organized to give parents an opportunity to express themselves. In daily programs, children participate as coordinators, chairpersons, and special guests. Each day, a senior guest such as a doctor, engineer, teacher, or writer is invited as the Chief Guest. So far, 457 individuals have participated as Chief Guests, including several parents.
For more information about Balprahari’s online programs, you can contact 9412162950.
Support the Magazine by Subscribing to Balprahari
The publication of Balprahari magazine has been continuously carried out for the past 20 years with public support. For this, we express our sincere gratitude to our contributors, members, and well-wishers. Balprahari is not just a magazine, but also an effort to provide children with a literary platform, to develop scientific thinking in their minds, and to connect them with reading and writing.
Your support is essential in this initiative. You can strengthen the magazine by opting for:
Patron Membership: ₹5000
Lifetime Membership: ₹2000
Three-Year Membership: ₹300
The membership fee can be deposited in Balprahari’s account at Punjab National Bank, Almora:
Account Number: 0962000101357002
Alternatively, you may send the amount via Money Order or Demand Draft in the name of the Editor, Balprahari. Cheques from nationalized banks are also accepted.
Supportive well-wishers/friends can also subscribe and send the magazine to children they know, local schools, or the school where they received their primary education. In such cases, the magazine will be sent to children/schools/libraries with an acknowledgment in your name.
For more information, you may contact: +91 9412162950
Invitation for National Children’s Literature Seminar
It gives us great pleasure to inform you that, as in previous years, Balprahari is once again organizing a National Children’s Literature Seminar this year with public support. The seminar will be held on 12th, 13th, and 14th June 2026 at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Didihat, Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, under the joint aegis of Balprahari and DIET Didihat, Pithoragarh, on the theme “Children and Children’s Literature.”
The seminar will include events such as children’s stories, children’s poetry, children’s poets’ meet, an All-India poets’ conference, paper presentations, book releases, and a felicitation ceremony.
Didihat is located approximately 50 km from the Pithoragarh district headquarters. The nearest railway stations to reach Pithoragarh are Tanakpur and Kathgodam/Haldwani. From Haldwani and Tanakpur, buses and shared taxis to Pithoragarh and Didihat are easily available. Direct bus services are also available from Delhi, Dehradun, and other cities to Pithoragarh. For participants coming from outside, reaching Pithoragarh via Tanakpur railway station is convenient. Direct train services from Tanakpur are available to Dehradun, Delhi, Bareilly, Moradabad, Gurgaon, Ajmer, etc. Air services are also available from Pithoragarh (Naini Saini Airport) to Haldwani, Pantnagar, and nearby locations.
For invited participants attending the seminar, shared accommodation and meals (for 12th, 13th, and 14th June) will be arranged by the organizing committee. Writers of children’s literature are cordially invited to participate.
Kindly send your confirmation/consent and article by 14th April 2026 via post or email. Messages sent via WhatsApp may get deleted, and confirmations given over phone are often not recorded during list preparation. If you are bringing other participants along, please ask them to send their consent separately via email or letter.
Participants are required to pay a registration fee of ₹300, and it is mandatory to have prior membership of Balprahari. Membership has been made compulsory to expand the Balprahari community. At present, you only need to send your consent along with your biodata via email or post. Some participants have sent emails stating only “I agree”; kindly ensure you include at least your name, address, and phone number.
Details for depositing the registration and membership fee will be shared soon. Participants who confirm their attendance will receive the detailed program shortly.
Participants wishing to attend with family must arrange their own accommodation. However, contact numbers of hotels offering discounted rates can be provided upon request.
As in previous years, the June issue of the Gyan Vigyan Bulletin will be published as a Children’s Literature Special Issue. Articles related to children’s literature are invited for publication. Contributions in the form of goodwill advertisements or financial support for this special issue are also welcome.
We believe that your esteemed presence will give a new direction to this seminar. We look forward to your confirmation. For further information, you may contact Mobile: 9412162950.
Uday Kiroula
Editor, Balprahari
Secretary, Children’s Literature Institute
Darbari Nagar, Almora
Uttarakhand – 263601
Mobile: 9412162950
WhatsApp: 7088394370
Email: balprahri@gmail.com
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