Deadline: 15-Sep-2025
The 2026 TOTO Awards for Creative Writing in English invite young Indian writers to submit original works of poetry, short stories, or short plays that showcase originality, craft, and a strong literary voice.
The TOTO Awards for Creative Writing in English support young Indian writers who show originality, craft, and a strong literary voice. Entries are welcome in poetry, short stories, and short plays, offering a platform for diverse styles and themes ranging from performance poetry to science fiction.
Organised by Toto Funds the Arts (TFA), the awards will recognise two winners, each receiving ₹60,000. The award is open to Indian citizens currently living in India, aged between 18 and 29, born between 1 January 1996 and 1 January 2008. Overseas Citizens of India are not eligible, and previous winners may not reapply. Repeat applicants who have not won are welcome to submit entirely new work.
Applicants may submit in one, two, or all three categories, but each category must be sent as a separate entry. Poetry submissions must include at least 10 poems with a combined total of up to 7,500 words. Short story entries must include at least two stories with a combined word count between 3,500 and 7,500 words, while short plays may total up to 10,000 words. All entries must follow the formatting rules—Times New Roman, 12-point font, 1.5 line spacing—and be submitted as MS Word documents via email, without the author’s name appearing in the file name or document.
The work must be original, and applicants must own full and unconditional copyright. While unpublished work is strongly preferred, a small number of previously published poems or stories may be included if publication details are provided. Excerpts from novels and single short story submissions will not be accepted. The jury, composed of poets, literary critics, novelists, journalists, scholars, and teachers from across the country, will select the winners, and their decision will be final. Winning works may be featured on the TFA website, blog, and promotional materials, with full credit to the author, while copyright remains with the creator.
The submission deadline is 15 September 2025, and entries must be sent by email using the official application form. Winners must ensure that future publications of their awarded work credit the “WINNER – TOTO Award for Creative Writing in English 2026” for two years following the announcement.
For more information, visit Toto Funds the Arts.
