October marks a special occasion for animal lovers around the world: World Animal Month. To honour our feline friends, Youth Ki Awaaz, in collaboration with Aleph, is excited to announce a contest where you can share your heartfelt cat anecdotes.
Contest Topic:
Write about your most cherished cat memory or anecdote. It could be about a cat you grew up with, a stray cat you feed and care for, or even a cat you saw in a movie that left a lasting impression on you. Reflect on what made that moment special – was it an extraordinary bond, a simple act of kindness, or something else that left an impact?
Bonus Points for Photos! Consider adding a photo of the cat that holds a special place in your heart.
Contest Guidelines
- You can submit your entry in English.
- All the entries should be original and your own work.
- While there is no maximum word limit, the minimum word limit for the contest entries is 400 words.
- The last date to submit your entry is 2nd November.
- Top 2 entries will get a copy of “The Indian Cat”
- Adding ‘#CatLoversContest to your story is mandatory while publishing it.
- Open to Indian residents only
The Prize
Two winners will be selected based on their submission’s creativity, emotion, and depth. Each winner will receive a copy of “The Indian Cat,” a compilation that delves into the enduring presence of cats in Indian culture. Art historian B.N. Goswamy brings together a selection of narratives, essays, artworks, and poems that celebrate our historical and delightful connection with these beloved feline companions.
By sharing your cat tales, you stand a chance to win a book and join a community of cat lovers celebrating the magic of these graceful animals. So, dive into your memories, pen down your stories, and let the world hear about the extraordinary cats touching your heart. Happy sharing and happy World Animal Month!
Submission Procedure
To submit your entry, head to www.youthkiawaaz.com, create an account through your Gmail account, click on ‘Start Writing’, and hit publish.
About the Book
The Indian Cat offers a wonderful illustration of the cat from our oral and written traditions. This is followed by a catalogue of paintings, each showcasing a different aspect of the place accorded to cats in our society. There is also a collection of cat-related poetry, much of it translated from a variety of languages, including as Urdu, Hindi, Persian, and Bengali. Proverbs, sayings, and idioms related to the animal are presented in the final part.
B. N. Goswamy is Professor Emeritus of Art History at the Panjab University, Chandigarh, and a world-renowned authority on Indian painting. He has written and lectured extensively and been a guest curator of exhibitions of Indian art all over the world, including major ones held in Paris, San Francisco, Zurich, San Diego, and New York. He has also been visiting professor at the universities of Heidelberg, Pennsylvania, California (Berkeley and UCLA), Texas (Austin), and Zurich. His work is regarded as having influenced much thinking on Indian art. His awards and honours include the Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship, the Rietberg Award, the Rockefeller Grant, the Senior Mellon Fellowship, the Tagore Fellowship, and the Padma Shri (1998) and Padma Bhushan (2008) from the president of India.