The event hosted 24 finalists along with their parents, educators, school leaders from Delhi NCR, and the Britannica Education team recently. Launched in September 2025, this first edition of the its writing initiative, the Britannica Young Author Quest (Y.A.Q.) 2025, engaged over 80, 000 students from 80+ schools across India, culminating in the recognition of the top 120 exceptional young finalists.
Finalists from grades 4 to 9 were recognized across three categories — Rising Quill, Creative Scriber, and Master Writer. These young authors were selected for demonstrating originality, clarity of thought, and purposeful storytelling shaped by compassion and creativity. Winners were felicitated with trophies, certificates, and prizes, including iPads, Lenovo Tablets, and Amazon Echo Dots.
The winners across categories included Ilyan Shamin (1st), Arham Kapasi (2nd), and Abhijith Kumar (3rd) in the Rising Quill category; Taijasi Santra (1st), Mihika Singal (2nd), and Anika Srivastava (3rd) in the Creative Scribes category; and Maya Davele (1st), Siddhi Tyagi (2nd), and Koshika Bishit (3rd) in the Master Writers category.
A stellar jury shortlisted the winners and champions of literature, including Ms. Angeline Chauhan, Instructional Mentor, Writer & Editor, Podcaster, Ms. Shabnam Dohutia, Executive Editor, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Ms. Pragya Pandita, Product & Academic Head, Britannica Education India. The ceremony was graced by Dr. Kiran Bedi, a former IPS Officer, Social Reformer, and Author, whose presence deeply inspired participating students, educators, and parents. In her address, she encouraged young authors to write with empathy, awareness, and responsibility, reinforcing the power of words as a tool for transformation and social impact.
Speaking about the success of the initiative, Utkarsh Mishra, Commercial Director, India & South Asia, Britannica Education, said, “. This first edition reinforces our belief that when young minds are given the right platform, their voices can spark meaningful change. We are proud to celebrate these young authors and the educators who guided them and hope to scale up the initiative even further next year.”
Britannica Y.A.Q. encourages students to express imagination, creativity, and empathy through original stories — helping them develop essential 21st-century skills such as literacy, communication, and critical thinking. The initiative empowers young minds to become confident communicators, reflective thinkers, and compassionate storytellers.
