If you write in Ennglish, here's a great way to find recognition for your talent!

Katha invites you to send us your story for our search for excellence !

Katha is looking for quality fictions -

Short stories of exceptional merit, inovative and brilliantly written, for the Annual Katha Awards. These should be original stories. Please send a signed letter stating that the story is your own and not plagiarized from anywhere.

Preferably within 5,000 words, though Katha will accept any length for considration if this is warranted.

Katha's readers like good, language-rich stories that take forward traditional storytelling techniques or those that ride on style and telling rather than on plot and traditional settings/characterization. But for acceptance, these should be conceptually very strong, with endings that are upbeat, not -clichéd, satisfying. Must be contemporary and appeal to both a male & female audience of all ages. Must have a strong hook and good storytelling.

Controversial, true or issue-oriented literary stories that appeal to a wide range of readers.

Any genre. Action/adventure. Contemporary or strong historical settings. Full-blooded and Indian rather than being soft, tired copies of western models.

Provocative, real life stories. Stories with teenage leads. Something different with a solid concept. True stories will also work.

Comedy or drama welcome. Historical pieces too but only if they are authentic and well-researched, racy and conceptual, solidly. Nothing soft, sentimental or sappy.

(A strong and strange departure for Katha but) ... Scripts are welcome which have a sound literary base that appeals to both a male & femaleaudience. Conceptually strong. Something fun, with heart. No dishum-dishum (sex or violence) without purpose.

Topical, conceptual, present-day family dramas are welcome, too. Strong plotting and racy telling; conflict. Female protagonists preferred.

We like stories by women writers, without compromising on quality or excellence.

Got any stories like these? See our submissions guidelines below:

We welcome established and emerging authors.

We accept queries through e-mail and regular mail. Our addresses -

Email: editors@katha.org; Slowmail: A3, Sarvodaya Enclave, New Delhi 110017

  For the Katha Awards:

• Include a cover letter with your submission. With your name, address and your professional qualifications and your abiding interests/passions.
• Include a covering sheet that gives -

•  a short bio note

•  a bibliography of your works.

•  If published, when and where it was published. The name of the magazine, the editor and the address.

•  the approximate length of the story;

•  And why you think the story needs to be nominated for the Katha Awards.

Send all submissions to:

Fiction editors . kathabooks@katha.org