The finale of the ACEnovation National Storytelling Championship (NSC-India 2025) was recently held at VIT Chennai.

The event, aimed at fostering a storytelling culture, saw participants from various age groups across six categories.

The Hindu In School was the media partner of the event. Trophies, certificates, and cash prizes to the tune of ₹5 lakh were shared among the 52 winners from across the country.

In the junior category, Achintya Chopra, Darbari Lal DAV Model School, New Delhi (3-4 years category); Myra Shanker, Jayshree Periwal Global School, Jaipur (5-7 years category); and Tharunika Alpa Kaushik, St. Claret School, Assam; Sudhan Selva Kumar, B.V. Bhavans Rajaji Vidyashram, Chennai; and Smriti Karthik, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Chennai (8-12 years category), were the champions.

In the senior category, S.H. Hanzie, Rojavanam International School, Kanniyakumari district; Sadhana Sri R., Tiruvallur District Government Model School, and P. Praniska, Pushpalata Vidya Mandir, Tirunelveli (13-15 years category); Leenasri M., Bannari Amman Public School, Erode (16-18 years category); and Shreya Rath, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Maharashtra; Natasha Salim, voice artist, Kerala; and Deepshree Khanna, independent policy researcher, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Haryana (19-50 years category), bagged prizes.

While Geetha Raghavan from Pune won a prize in the Super Senior Category (above 51 years), Sahana Singaravelan of Ekadaksha Learning Centre, Chennai, emerged as the winner in the Special Needs Category.

Additional Chief Secretary J. Radhakrishnan spoke about the power of storytelling as a cornerstone of leadership and societal transformation.

Sesha Sai, Consul General of Seychelles in Chennai; John Row, International Storyteller and Author, U.K.; Sathish Narayanan, Chairman, Chools Group and IFFAI; Dinakar, Entrepreneur and Education Advocate, U.S.; and Athvik Amith Kumar, one of India’s young entrepreneurs, were the guests of honour.

The event, while nurturing expression and thought leadership among young minds across the nation, also hosted storytelling performances by Mathiazhagan and team and Amutha, and a mime performance by the Thedal Arts Group.

VIT chancellor G. Viswanathan and vice president G.V. Selvam, and Nagarajan Narayanan and Neena Gayatri, founders of ACEnovation, were also present.

The organising partners of the event were VIT Chennai, Amar Chitra Katha, Chools Group, Image Creative Education, Bright Angel Consultants, and Diginucleus.