Cash Prizes Up to ₹15,000 for Best Essays and Paintings on India's Progress

The Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with an online portal, has announced a dual‑track national competition as part of the 2026 Independence Day programme. Both the essay and painting challenges carry a cash prize of up to ₹15,000 for the winners.

The essay contest asks participants to explore the influence of artificial intelligence on India’s road to becoming a developed nation by 2047. The painting competition, titled “India 1947 versus India 2047,” challenges artists to visually contrast the country’s historic freedom struggle with a futuristic outlook.

Selected winners from each category will be among the 200 individuals granted a coveted pass to the Red Fort celebration on August 15. The initiative is designed to merge creativity with civic pride, giving youth a stage to voice ideas on nation‑building through both words and images.

All entries must be submitted electronically through the designated portal, where detailed instructions, eligibility rules and the submission timeline are provided.