The YUVA program of FIHCR is proud to announce the Sri Aurobindo National History Essay Competition. Entries for the 2025-26 batch can be submitted between 15 December – 22 December 2025.
This competition encourages students to explore India’s rich history through engaging topics, helping them better understand and appreciate our heritage
About Sri Aurobindo Ghosh
Sri Aurobindo Ghosh (1872–1950) is known for his work as a spiritual visionary but he also played a prominent role in India’s fight for independence. After completing his education in England, he returned to India in 1893 and became a leader in the nationalist movement, advocating for Poorna Swaraj through the newspaper Bande Mataram. In 1910, he shifted his focus to spiritual work and moved to Pondicherry, where he developed “Integral Yoga,” a practice aimed at transforming human consciousness.
He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in two categories, Literature and Peace. FIHCR honours the legacy of Sri Aurobindo by launching the History Essay Competition in his name, hoping that his life and work, which spanned both India’s struggle for independence and the spiritual upliftment of humanity, will inspire many children to explore and appreciate India’s rich heritage.
Eligibility
The competition is open to secondary school students in Grades 7, 8, and 9 from schools across India. A valid school ID or Aadhar Card will be required for participation.
Topics
The topics for each group are as follows:
Class 7: A lesser-known freedom fighter from your state. How do you think they should be celebrated today?
Class 8: A day in the life of a foreign traveller coming to ancient India.
Class 9: Why is it important to preserve old monuments? What can we learn from them?
Language & Word Limit
The competition will be conducted in English for the year 2025-26. The word limit is as follows:
Grades 7 and 8: 600–800 words
Grade 9: 800–1000 words
Submission Process
- Schools may conduct an internal round of the competition from November 10 to December 15, 2025, and select one best essay per grade for submission to FIHCR.
- For the internal round, essay topics for each grade will be the same as the topics specified for the competition.
- The evaluation of essays may follow the criteria provided by FIHCR (see Evaluation Criteria).
- Essays should be original and written/typed under supervision within the school premises.
- The names and details of the selected students, along with their typed essays, must be submitted to FIHCR by the stipulated deadline.
- Schools will submit one typed essay per grade through an online form in Word document format.
Resubmissions
Resubmissions will not be allowed.
Deadline for Submission
The deadline for online submission of entries is December 22, 2025, 09:00 pm IST.
Evaluation Criteria
The essays will be assessed on creativity, grammar, vocabulary, understanding of the topic, personal reflection and presentation of unique or lesser-known information. AI-generated and plagiarised entries will be rejected.
Announcement of Winners
The winners will be announced in April 2026 on our website and social media handles.
Prizes
Two winners from each group will receive a cash prize, a book, and a certificate. Selected essays will be featured in our upcoming anthology. All participants will receive digital participation certificates.
Timeline of Essay Competition
Details of the Competition:
- Start Date: November 10, 2025.
- End Date: December 22, 2025.
- Submission Timeline: December 15 to December 22, 2025