The Keekli Charitable Trust is delighted to announce the results of its Pan-India Short Story Writing Competition 2025. A total of 135 stories were received from young writers across the country, including submissions from Shimla, West Bengal, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chhattisgarh, New Delhi, Bengaluru, and more.
After a thorough and careful evaluation process by our distinguished jury, 51 best stories have been selected on merit to be published in an upcoming anthology of short stories. The jury found it challenging to differentiate between the entries, as all were of high quality, with only minimal point differences separating the top stories. Stories suspected of plagiarism or identified as AI-generated were disqualified to maintain the highest standards of originality and creativity. If further discrepancies are found during the next stages, the story will be dropped and next best in line will be selected.
The jury for this event were Sanjay Versain; Sanjhee Gianchandani and Aastha Chadha who all have a wealth of experience and passion for storytelling, which clearly reflected in their insightful evaluation and feedback.
Aastha Chadha said, “Stories are the medium of expression for me. I was truly impressed by the imagination and creativity of our budding writers. While fiction is thriving, I encourage writers to also draw inspiration from real-life experiences. Keep writing and keep spreading the magic of storytelling.”
Sanjay Versain added, “This competition has been a great success, and it’s clear the art of storytelling is alive and well. Some entries gave me goosebumps—no AI can replicate our deepest feelings. Many stories touched on mystery, paranormal themes, and local folk tales, showcasing the rich cultural fabric that inspires young minds.”
While Sanjhee Gianchandani shared, “The submissions displayed impressive effort, creativity, and narrative skills. Though some faced challenges with plagiarism or AI use, these are learning points in a writer’s journey. Overall, the enthusiasm and potential of these young authors are commendable.”
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About the Competition
The competition, open to youth aged 20 and under, called for original short stories between 1,000 to 2,000 words in English or Hindi, on open or specific themes related to folklore, monuments, or historic elements of the participant’s state or city. Along with the competition, participants have the opportunity to attend creative writing workshops and webinars with the jury, aimed at enhancing their writing skills.
What’s Next?
Following the announcement today, the selected writers will participate in follow-up creative workshops and one-on-one editorial sessions to refine their stories. The final editorial process, book design, and production are underway, with the anthology slated for release on November 14, 2025.
Keekli Charitable Trust thanks all participants for their creativity and enthusiasm. This competition is more than a contest; it is a nurturing ground for the next generation of storytellers who will shape India’s literary future.
| Keekli Pan-India Short Story Writing Competition – 2025; Results | |||
| Sno. | Name | School | Story Title |
| 1 | Sreejaa Chatterjee | Birla Vidya Niketan | The Lost World |
| 2 | Abha Hardikar | Ekya School ITPL | My Colours, My Choice |
| 3 | Shreya Chattopadhyay | South Point High School | A Second Chance |
| 4 | Ananya Bhardwaj | Auckland House School | The Whisper of the Serpent God |
| 5 | Shriya | Rajkiyakanya Mahavidyalaya Shimla | The Girl Who Wrote Her Destiny |
| 6 | Lavanya Muni | Army Public School | The Khushi Wali Dukaan |
| 7 | Tiara Ghosh | Oakridge International School | Whispers of the Tomb |
| 8 | Ashmita | Saraswati Paradise International Public School | From Shadows to Light |
| 9 | Srishti Tiwari | Ryan International School | Beep |
| 10 | Nihal Maurya | RPM Academy | The Last Trees |
| 11 | Prithvi Raj Singh | Saraswati Paradise International Public School | The Cure for a Prince |
| 12 | Charu Sharma | Alpine Public School | A Heart Left Behind |
| 13 | Divina Kanchan | Ajmera Global School | The Time Tornado |
| 14 | KS Hamsa | Andhra Loyola College, Vijayawada | When All That Glittered was Gold |
| 15 | Shailja Yadav | Delhi Public School, Dimapur | First Step to Victory |
| 16 | Shantanu Tarale | Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering | The Price of Safety |
| 17 | Devina | St Thomas’ School | Dark Candle |
| 18 | Apoorva Guleria | Auckland House School | Experiment No. 39 |
| 19 | Kavya Sharma | Dayanand Public School | The Perfect Role |
| 20 | Mayank Kumar Jindal | St Thomas’ School | Anya |
| 21 | Arabh | St Thomas’ School | The Heart of France, Paris |
| 22 | Daksh Bansal | The Lawrence School, Sanawar | The Foxes and Jack |
| 23 | Mrittika Dey | Methodist School Dankuni, Kolkata | Found Love |
| 24 | Prathyush Venkatesh | SKCA, Bengaluru | The Forgotten Guardian |
| 25 | Priyanka Kashyap | Ivy International School | Kakapo: Coco’s new life |
| 26 | Anvesha Malik | Loreto Convent Tara Hall | Destiny |
| 27 | Kiaan Amrik Thakur | Achievers Hub Sr. Sec. School Dari | The Coffee Shop Occurrence |
| 28 | Praapti PD | Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Sr Sec School | An Insane Twist in Cinderella’s Tale |
| 29 | Srishti Verma | Delhi Public School, Haridwar | आधुनिक समय में माता-पिता की व्यस्तता और बच्चों का अकेलापन |
| 30 | Syna Sultana | Kendriya Vidyalaya BSF Aradhpur, West Bengal | Living |
| 31 | Sravya Jonnadula | Jagannath Vidyalaya, Chennai | The Quantum Epoch |
| 32 | Aanya Bhatt | Delhi Private School Sharjah, UAE | The Enchanted Compass |
| 33 | Vijay Sree | PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya Kanjikode, Palakkad | The Wisdom of an Ant |
| 34 | Aditi Sharma | Dayanand Public School | Between Goodbyes and Forever |
| 35 | Divyansh Sharma | St Thomas’ School | The Pinecone |
| 36 | Shaarvi Puri | Suncity School, Gurugram | The Lost Sound of Bhangarh Fort |
| 37 | Angel Negi | Saraswati Paradise International Public School | Sometimes It Is Not What We Hear |
| 38 | Kiratnoor Kaur | VR Public School | The Unseen Curse: The Influence of Superstition and Social Media |
| 39 | Tanavi. S | Cambridge Institute of Technology | The Last Bloom |
| 40 | Shambhavi Srivastava | St Thomas’ School | The Enchanting Dream |
| 41 | Damer Rymmai | Kendriya Vidyalaya AFS Laitkor, Shillong | Death of My Innocence |
| 42 | Parul | GD Goenka Public School, Jhajjar | Fulfilled Promise |
| 43 | Ripunjay Swastik | St Thomas’ School | Ripunjay Swastik |
| 44 | Kritika Thakur | St Thomas’ School | Scams |
| 45 | Sunandini Sharma | Vidyapeeth Shimla | Last |
| 46 | Natalie | Galgotias University, Greater Noida | Mom is Daisy |
| 47 | Prakhya Agarwal | G.D. Goenka Public School, Lucknow | A Good Turning! |
| 48 | Sarthak Jain | Delhi Public School, Greater Noida | Oblivion |
| 49 | Vanya Sharma | St Thomas’ School | The Mysterious Carnival |
| 50 | Riya Viaday | Kendriya Vidyalaya Bacheli, Chattisgarh | The Eternal Guardian of Chandaini Gonda |
| 51 | Rachit Awale | St Thomas’ School | The Last Trip |
Winners of Short Story Writing Competition – 2024; A Keekli Trust Venture
