PAW2026 is a nationwide Poetry, Artwork, and Essay Writing competition organized annually by Animals Water Bowl Project (AWBP) Trust, in memory of Raju. The competition aims to inspire people of all ages to reconnect with animals and nature while creating greater awareness about animal welfare and rights, human well-being, environmental responsibility, and compassionate coexistence.

The 8th Edition of PAW2026 – Nationwide Competition was officially launched by Shri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana, on 15th August 2026 at 2:00 PM IST. The 45-day nationwide initiative brings together participants from across India through creative expression, encouraging them to understand the importance of coexistence, compassion, animal welfare and rights, and responsible living.

Through PAW2026, we hope to inspire individuals and communities to look beyond competition—to learn, reflect, express, and take meaningful steps towards a more compassionate world where humans, animals, and nature can coexist.

Refer below,  for the topics and other details

Languages Accepted:

You can participate in any one of the three languages: Telugu, Hindi, or English.

Register now:

To participate in the competition is FREE, you should register on or before 15th  Sep’26 before 11 PM IST. Click Here to register for the competition.

Topics:

Poetry, Artwork, & Essay Writing submitted to the competition should be related to one of the topics shown in the boxes below.

Topic#1 –
Challenges Faced by Community Animals in Urban/ Rural Areas and the Need to Address Them Through Active Engagement of Citizens, NGOs and Government Municipal Corporations Using Social Responsibility, Legal Measures and Legal Reforms.
Topic#2 –
Animal cruelty and exploitation of goats, and donkeys for human related causes and animal-free alternatives to protect them.
Topic#3 –
How Animals Suffer From Human Wars And Compassionate Actions Citizens and Governments Can Take To Protect and Care for Them During Such Times.
Topic#4 –
How Compassion Towards Animals Through Small Everyday Actions Can Reduce Stress, Loneliness, Anxiety, and Violence in Society Based on Your Own Experiences or Observations.

Topic#5 –
How Vegan Lifestyle Can Promote Global Peace, Resource Conservation, and Compassionate Coexistence and What Contribution We As Individuals Can Make Towards Achieving It.

 General rules:

  1. No participation fees.
  2. Eligibility is limited to ages 8 years and above at the time of submission.
  3. Participants need to be from India. 
  4. Entries must not have been published, self-published, posted on a website or made public on social media, broadcast or featured among the winners in another competition.
  5. A participant can participate in all the categories but only one entry is allowed per category (Poetry, Artwork, & Essay Writing ).  
  6. You agree to give exclusive rights on your submission work to AWBP Trust, which means you should not use it anywhere else (you will be credited as the author of the work wherever we publish it, but the work remains as AWBP Trust property).
  7. All the essays/ artwork/poetry submissions will become the property of AWBP Trust. Each participant automatically grants AWBP Trust the right to reproduce, publish, transmit or otherwise communicate to the public their entry, in whole or in part, or using any media for any purpose without permission or payment.
  8. AWBP Trust reserves the final right, where necessary, to make amendments to the below rules and to select the winners of the competition. 

Category Rules-

Eligible Poetry :
    1. All content created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be considered grounds for disqualification, as we have tools to identify AI-generated work. Avoid using AI and submit your own original work from scratch. Be genuine. Be original. Let your creativity speak!
    2. We strictly enforce a plagiarism check, and any content exceeding 10% similarity will result in disqualification. Please ensure that all content you submit is original.
    3. Poems must be the participant’s original work.
    4. The participant’s name should not appear in the poem.
    5. All poems must have a title and contain a minimum of 20 lines and a maximum of 50 lines, excluding the title. Each line must have at least 6 words and not exceed 15 words, and the poem must maintain a consistent rhyming pattern throughout.
    6. Submit the document in (or write on a paper and scan)  word or PDF format.
    7. Submissions must be in Telugu, Hindi, or  English. Only one language is allowed. 
  • Ensure file name format is as follows while submitting your work : awbptrust_paw2026_poetry_<participant_full name>.
 Eligible Artwork :
    1. Only hand-drawn artwork is accepted. 
    2. Artwork should not contain any words like the artist name, quotes etc., 
    3. Artwork should be made on A5, A4 size paper or above.
    4. Submit the scanned copy of the artwork in .JPEG/ PNG/ PDF format 
    5. The artwork must be the original work of the participant.
    6. Reference images may be used, but all components must be completely original.
    7. Submissions based on pencil sketching or any type of paints are allowed
    8. Artwork detailing is essential.
    9. Limit one entry per contestant.
  • Ensure file name format is as follows while submitting your work : awbptrust_paw2026_artwork_<participant_full name>.
 Eligible Essay Writing :
    1. All content created using Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be considered grounds for disqualification, as we have tools to identify AI-generated work. Avoid using AI and submit your own original work from scratch. Be genuine. Be original. Let your creativity speak!
    2. The participant’s name should not appear in the essay or in the byline.
    3. The essay should be a minimum of 800 words but not exceeding 2,500 words and must be typed for submission purposes.
    4. The essay format must contain – Title > Essay > Conclusion
    5. Submit the document in (or write on a paper and scan)  word or PDF format.
    6. The essay should be original and must not have been submitted to any other essay competition(s) or otherwise published. 
    7. Participants will not be allowed to make any revisions to the essay, once it has been submitted. 
    8. The participant will be required to declare any assistance received during the writing of the essay. Sources/ references used in writing the essay should be duly acknowledged in the essay.
    9. Submissions must be in Telugu, Hindi, or  English. Only one language is allowed. 
  • Ensure file name format is as follows while submitting your work : awbptrust_paw2026_essay_<participant_full name>.

 Register:

To participate in the competition, you should register here (Click Here) on or before 15th Sep’26 before 11 PM IST.

Queries: 

For any queries related to the event, please WhatsApp/ call us on +91 7993912345.

Submission Last Date :

Submit your entries by 25th Sep’26 before 11 PM IST.

Where to submit?

Participants must submit different forms for each category they participate in. Ensure file name format is as follows while submitting your work : awbptrust_paw2026_<category name>_<your full name>.

How will awards be determined?

Note*: Age is just a number when it comes to creative work. Keep up your spirit and participate. Our panelists will look at the work delivered based on the parameters mentioned below, but not on an age basis. 

  • Entries that do not follow the rules as mentioned in each category will be disqualified. 
  • The panel will focus on creativity, concept picked, the message conveyed and detailing in the Artwork/ Essay Writing/ Poetry during the selection process
  • The decision of the panel is final.

Prizes & Winners:

Prizes will be awarded for the first, second and third places under each category. 

First Prize: 8000 INR Worth Voucher
Second Prize: 5000 INR Worth Voucher
Third Prize: 2000 INR Worth Voucher

  • The winners will be announced on 7th Oct’26 on our official website and socials.
  • Prizes will be emailed on or before 15th Oct’26.
  • Prizes can’t be exchanged or transferred. 
  • Prizes can’t be delivered outside India.
  • The gift will be in the form of a voucher.

All the participants will get a participation certificate for each qualified entry on or before 30th Oct’26.

Event Sponsors/ Philanthropists: Akarsha Alapati | Dhammaa Tales | Raghu Rao Yalamanchili |  Praveen Gurrala|  GRD Institution | Stray Animal Foundation Of India |  Amulya Gullapalli | YV Care | FURRMATE | FROSTIE | Humane World For Animals 

Compassion Partners: Ahimsa Land Foundation | Help In Suffering | Peedu’s People | Maitri Bhavna | Sanghamitra Animal Foundation | Khathatitam | Suharth Foundation 

For more information about our organization, refer below links and also like, follow and subscribe to our socials –

 www.awbptrust.org

 www.instagram.com/awbptrust

 www.youtube.com/awbptrust

 www.facebook.com/awbptrust

 

 

Was this post helpful?

Post Views: 4,821
Total Page Visits: 16457 - Today Page Visits: 120