MAHE PHOTO CONTEST 2026

MAHE PHOTO CONTEST 2026

Free Entry

Last Year's Winners

Winner
1
CM5
Walls of Heritage
by POOJA AMBEKAR
Winner
2
CM4
Sky through window of builing
by DR AJAYA KUMAR BARIK
Winner
3
CM3
Birdseye
by RIDDHIMAN SARKAR
Winner
4
CM2
Whispers of the Canopy
by SIDDHARTH SAVADIA
Winner
5
CM1
KMC Invictus concert Manipal
by RIDDHIMAN GHOSH
My MAHE My Campus Photo Contest
MeghMalhar
POOJA AMBEKAR
DR AJAYA KUMAR BARIK
RIDDHIMAN SARKAR
SIDDHARTH SAVADIA
RIDDHIMAN GHOSH
ARJUN KENJALE
SWAROOP DIDDI
KSHITIJ KHATRI

Celebrating Excellence
in Photography

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, invites photographers, storytellers, students, and creative enthusiasts from across India to participate in MeghMalhar: A Tribute to Rain & Rhythm, a national photography contest that celebrates the beauty, power, emotions, and environmental significance of the monsoon through compelling visual narratives and short stories.

The flagship MeghMalhar category is open to participants from across the country and carries the theme “Fun and Fury of Rain,” encouraging photographers to capture both the joy and intensity of the monsoon season. Recognizing young talent, the contest also features special prizes for students competing in the open MeghMalhar category, providing a platform for emerging photographers to showcase their creativity on a national stage.

In addition, the “My MAHE, My Campus” category is exclusively open to MAHE students, faculty, and staff across all MAHE campuses, inviting them to capture the spirit, diversity, experiences, and unique character of life within the MAHE community.

Beyond celebrating artistic excellence, the contest aims to raise awareness of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG #6 (Clean Water & Sanitation), SDG #11 (Sustainable Cities & Communities), SDG #13 (Climate Action), SDG #14 (Life Below Water), and SDG #15 (Life on Land). Through photography and storytelling, participants are encouraged to reflect on humanity's relationship with the environment and inspire meaningful conversations around sustainability and conservation.

Organized in association with the Manipal Institute of Communication (MIC) and Udayavani, one of Karnataka's leading Kannada dailies, the contest offers attractive cash prizes, national recognition, exhibition opportunities, and a chance to use the power of visual storytelling to celebrate the monsoon while creating awareness about issues that matter.

0
Sections
0
Cash Awards

Important Dates

July 29, 2026

Submissions Open

The competition officially begins

August 31, 2026

Final Deadline

All entries must be submitted by midnight UTC. No extensions are granted.

Sep 5, 2026

Judging Date

The top 5 images in each category are announced and featured in our gallery.

Sep 10, 2026

Result Announcement Date

Grand ceremony at MAHE Manipal. Winners announced live with exhibition opening.

Sep 17, 2026

Award/Certificate Distribution Date

Grand ceremony at MAHE Manipal. Winners announced live with exhibition opening.

Two Paths to Glory

Landscape
01
MeghMalhar
A Tribute to Rain & Rhythm

MeghMalhar

(Open For All)

Title of the category: Fun and Fury of the Monsoon

The Contest is open to all professional photographers and budding photographers, for all age groups across India.
MeghMalhar is a national photography contest and exhibition that celebrates the beauty, diversity, and cultural significance of the monsoon through the art of photography. Open to all photography enthusiasts- including students, professionals, member of any photography clubs, institutions, hobbyists, and independent photographers- participants are invited to capture compelling photographs taken in India that reflect the season's landscapes, people, traditions, wildlife, emotions, and everyday moments, highlighting the profound relationship between rain, water, nature, and life.

Special Prize for Students

A dedicated category under MeghMalhar, open exclusively to students pursuing higher education, including undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and other recognized academic programmes.
Participants are required to provide valid Institutional student identification as proof of eligibility.

Architecture
02
My MAHE My Campus
Capture your unique campus moments, memories, culture, and vibrant student life.

My MAHE My Campus

(MAHE Students, Faculty and Staff)

Special Competition Exclusively for the MAHE Community
A special category, “My MAHE, My Campus,” invites students, faculty and staff of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) to showcase the unique character and spirit of their respective campuses through creative visual storytelling.
Participants are encouraged to capture and creatively present the vibrant experiences, architecture, festivities, landscapes, people, and distinctive spaces that make their MAHE campus special.
This competition is open exclusively to the MAHE community, including students, faculty, and staff from the following campuses: Manipal, Mangalore, Bengaluru, Jamshedpur, and Dubai.
Participants are required to provide a valid MAHE identification card or other official proof of affiliation to establish their eligibility.

What You Can Win

🥇
MeghMalhar

(Open For All)

1st Award Cash Award: Rs.25000
2nd Award Cash Award: Rs.15000
3rd Award Cash Award: Rs.10000
5 x Certificate of Merit Cash Award: Rs.2000 Each
Special Prize For Students
1st Award Cash Award: Rs.5000
2nd Award Cash Award: Rs.3000
3rd Award Cash Award: Rs.2000
5 x Certificate of Merit Cash Award: Rs.1000 Each
🏆
My MAHE My Campus

(MAHE Students, Faculty and Staff)

1st Award Cash Award: Rs.5000
2nd Award Cash Award: Rs.3000
3rd Award Cash Award: Rs.2000
5 x Certificate of Merit Cash Award: Rs.1000 Each

Terms & Conditions for participation

1. The Contest is open to all photographers, whether amateurs or professionals or tourists, from India. Members of the jury cannot participate.
2. There is no entry fee.
3. The Categories for the Contest and associated Terms and conditions can be found below.
4. There is a maximum limit to the number of photographs that can be uploaded under each section. Please check the upload page for information. This number will be enforced.
5. Each Photographer can participate only once and submit only one set of photographs. Please do not login under different emails and submit pictures under each email.
6. Photographs should be in JPEG format. The Photograph uploaded should be resized not to exceed 1920 pixels on the longer side. Also, photographs with less than 1024 pixels on the longer side will not be allowed. The maximum file size allowed is 4MB. Images will be presented to the jury in the same resolution in which the image was uploaded.
7. Since the selected photograph(s) could be displayed as large-size hoardings, coffee books, brochures and other media, the Photographer of selected picture will be required to submit a full resolution picture of not less than 4500 pixels on the long side, preferably in 16 Bit TIFF format. Before submitting the picture, please ensure that this requirement can be met.
8. Uploads with your name in the Picture or Title or File Name will not be considered.
9. If the picture submitted has recognizable faces in prominence, the entrant submitting the picture should have the concurrence of the person(s) in the photograph for use in promotional material. The entrant agrees to indemnify MAHE against any claims from such persons.
10. The photograph should not contain Title or Name or Watermark or any other form of identification on the face of the image.
11. It is the responsibility of the participants to upload the photographs under the correct section. Photographs not matching the section under which they are uploaded will not be considered for the contest. If in doubt, please refer to the definition of the categories provided below.
12. Entries must originate as photographs (image-captures of objects via light sensitivity) captured by the entrant on photographic emulsion or acquired digitally.
13. By virtue of submitting an entry, the entrant certifies the work as his own (aliases are not permitted). The entrant indemnifies MAHE against all claims arising from originality and ownership.
14. The entrant permits the organizer MAHE to reproduce all or part of any of the photographs entered for the contest free of charge for publication and/or display in media-related activities which are of non-commercial nature.
15. All matters related to usage of photographs submitted through this website for the contest must be taken up with MAHE. MAHE, as hosts for the contest, cannot be held responsible for any matters related to usage of the photographs by anyone.
16. Only entries submitted through this website will be considered for the contest. Photographs received through emails or other means will not be considered for the contest.
17. While filling out the entry form, enter full image titles and your Name and surname as you want them to appear in the publications, checks, and certificates. Titles like "Untitled" or "No Title" or the file name of the image or just numerals are not allowed and may lead to disqualification. It is also mandatory to provide a valid contact number.
18. There are no restrictions on subject matter except as outlined in the rules and definitions of specific sections or specified by law in the country where the exhibition is held.
19. The only permissible alterations to the photographs uploaded are by way of resizing, cropping, selective lighting or darkening, sharpening, and any technique for restoration of the original color of the scene. Any adjustments must appear natural.
20. Judging results will be published on this website. Individual emails will not be sent to the participants.
21. Photos from this competition will not be used or sold anywhere without prior consent of the contestants.
22. Participants are requested to upload their entries well ahead of time to avoid a last-minute rush. Late entries will not be entertained.
23. The decision of the Panel of Judges is final and binding; no further appeal will be entertained.

Our Partners

Manipal Institute of Communication

Udayavani Daily
Udayavani, Leading Kannada Daily

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