KEONJHAR CHOITI SAFAR 2026
Best Travel Story & Photography Competition for Senior Travellers
Celebrate Your Golden Years – Share Your Story, Capture the Beauty!
IBG NEWS (www.ibgnews.com) is delighted to present and organise the Certificate of Excellence – Best Travel Story & Photography Award during the 5th Year of Choiti Safar, an initiative of Banchbo Healing Touch Foundation (BHTF).
As part of the Keonjhar Tour 2026, taking place from 18–21 November 2026, IBG NEWS invites our senior travel companions to share their memorable experiences, creative travel stories and beautiful photographs.
Competition Categories
✍️ Best Travel Story
📸 Best Travel Photography
Awards & Recognition
🏆 The top three participants in each category will receive attractive prizes and Certificates of Excellence.
🎖️ Every participant will receive a Digital Certificate of Participation.
Who Can Participate?
Participation is exclusively open to senior travellers joining the Keonjhar Choiti Safar 2026 tour.
How to Submit Your Entries
Send your original travel stories and photographs capturing the experiences and beauty of the Keonjhar Tour 2026 to:
Submission Deadline: 29 November 2026
Important Publication & Copyright Notice
Submitted stories and photographs may be published on IBG NEWS (ibgnews.com). By submitting an entry, participants grant IBG NEWS permission to publish, reproduce, archive and use the submitted material for future editorial, promotional and publication purposes, with appropriate attribution wherever practicable. Copyright and ownership will be governed by the applicable submission terms and law.
IBG NEWS OFFICIAL COMPETITION GUIDELINES
Best Travel Story & Photography Competition
Keonjhar Choiti Safar 2026 | 18–21 November 2026
Presented and Organised by IBG NEWS
An initiative of Banchbo Healing Touch Foundation (BHTF)
Theme: Celebrate the Journey • Share Your Story • Capture the Beauty
IBG NEWS invites senior travellers participating in Keonjhar Choiti Safar 2026 to showcase their creativity, travel experiences and photographic talent through two separate competitions.
The competitions are open exclusively to senior participants of the Keonjhar Choiti Safar 2026 tour.
CATEGORY 1: BEST TRAVEL STORY WRITING COMPETITION
1. Language
- Entries may be submitted in English or Bengali.
- Participants may choose either language.
- Entries must be written in the language selected by the participant.
- Machine-generated or copied content will not be accepted as original creative work.
2. Theme and Subject
Stories must be based on the participant’s experiences during the Keonjhar Choiti Safar 2026 tour.
Suggested subjects include:
- Travel experiences and memorable moments.
- The natural beauty, landscapes and waterfalls of Keonjhar.
- Temples, heritage, culture and local traditions.
- Interactions with local communities.
- Food, hospitality and local lifestyles.
- Friendship, companionship and experiences of travelling in the golden years.
- Personal reflections, discoveries and inspiring moments from the journey.
3. Length and Format
- Recommended length: 800–1,500 words.
- Shorter or longer entries may be considered at the discretion of the organisers.
- Submit the story in MS Word (.doc/.docx) or PDF format.
- Include a suitable title.
- Mention the participant’s full name and contact number separately.
- Participants may submit up to two original photographs to accompany their story. These will not count towards the separate photography competition limit.
4. Originality and Authenticity
- The story must be the participant’s own original work.
- Plagiarised, copied or previously published stories are not eligible.
- Participants must not submit another person’s writing under their own name.
- AI-generated stories or substantially AI-written entries are not eligible. Basic spelling and grammar assistance is permitted, provided the creative content remains the participant’s own.
- Factual descriptions should be accurate and based on the participant’s genuine experience.
CATEGORY 2: BEST TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
1. Number of Photographs
- Each participant may submit a maximum of FIVE (5) photographs.
- Participants may submit fewer than five photographs.
- Every photograph must be captured by the participant during the Keonjhar Choiti Safar 2026 tour.
- Each photograph must be submitted as a separate digital image.
2. Photography Themes
Photographs may cover:
- Natural landscapes, hills, forests and waterfalls.
- Wildlife, birds, flora and fauna.
- Temples, monuments and heritage locations.
- Local culture, traditions and festivals.
- Portraits and candid moments, with appropriate consent.
- Travel companions and memorable group experiences.
- Unique details that reflect the beauty and character of Keonjhar.
3. Technical Requirements
- Accepted formats: JPEG or JPG.
- Recommended resolution: Minimum 1920 pixels on the longer side.
- Original camera or mobile-phone photographs are acceptable.
- High-quality mobile photography is welcome.
- Basic adjustments to brightness, contrast, colour, sharpness and cropping are permitted.
- Composite images, photo collages, artificial scene replacements and heavily manipulated photographs are not eligible.
- AI-generated or AI-altered photographs are not eligible.
- Original image files may be requested for verification.
4. Photograph Information
Each photograph should be accompanied by:
- A suitable title.
- Location where it was captured.
- Date of capture.
- A brief description (maximum 50 words).
- Participant’s name.
5. Photography Ethics
- Photographs must be captured respectfully and lawfully.
- Participants should obtain consent before submitting identifiable portraits of other people, particularly children.
- Wildlife must not be disturbed or endangered for photography.
- Images must not contain misleading edits or false representations.
SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
Email: [email protected]
Email Subject Line:
- For stories:
Keonjhar 2026 – Travel Story Competition – Participant Name - For photographs:
Keonjhar 2026 – Photography Competition – Participant Name
Participants entering both categories must clearly identify and submit each category separately.
Submission Deadline: 29 November 2026
Please include the following details in the email:
- Full name.
- Contact number.
- Email address.
- Competition category.
- Entry title.
- Confirmation that the submitted work is original and created by the participant.
Entries received after the deadline may not be considered.
JUDGING AND EVALUATION
Entries will be evaluated by a jury appointed by IBG NEWS. The jury’s decisions will be final, subject to the competition rules.
Travel Story – Suggested Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Marks |
|---|---|
| Originality and creativity | 25 |
| Storytelling and presentation | 25 |
| Travel experience and authenticity | 20 |
| Description of Keonjhar’s culture and attractions | 20 |
| Language and overall impact | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
Photography – Suggested Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Marks |
|---|---|
| Composition and framing | 25 |
| Creativity and originality | 25 |
| Visual impact and storytelling | 20 |
| Relevance to the tour and destination | 20 |
| Technical quality | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Separate awards will be presented in both categories.
- First Prize – Best Travel Story
- Second Prize – Travel Story
- Third Prize – Travel Story
- First Prize – Best Travel Photograph
- Second Prize – Travel Photograph
- Third Prize – Travel Photograph
The top three participants in each category will receive attractive prizes and Certificates of Excellence.
Every eligible participant will receive a Certificate of Participation.
A participant may enter both categories. However, each entry will be judged independently.
COPYRIGHT, PUBLICATION AND USAGE TERMS
- Participants retain ownership of the copyright in their original stories and photographs.
- By submitting an entry, participants grant IBG NEWS a non-exclusive, royalty-free permission to publish, reproduce, display, distribute and archive the submitted material in connection with IBG NEWS editorial, digital, promotional and archival activities.
- IBG NEWS may publish selected entries on its website, social media channels, digital publications and other media platforms.
- Appropriate attribution to the participant will be provided wherever practicable.
- IBG NEWS will not claim exclusive ownership of participants’ original creative works merely because they have entered the competition.
- Participants confirm that their submissions do not knowingly infringe third-party copyright, privacy or other legal rights.
- Any third-party material included in an entry must have the necessary permissions.
GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
- Participation is restricted to senior travellers joining Keonjhar Choiti Safar 2026.
- Submission to the competition is voluntary.
- IBG NEWS reserves the right to reject plagiarised, offensive, misleading, manipulated or otherwise ineligible entries.
- Incomplete submissions may be disqualified.
- Participants are responsible for retaining copies of their original submissions.
- IBG NEWS may contact participants for clarification or verification.
- The organisers reserve the right to make reasonable administrative changes to the competition, if necessary.
- The jury’s decision on awards will be final.
- Submission of an entry constitutes acceptance of these guidelines.
LET YOUR JOURNEY INSPIRE OTHERS!
Celebrate the Journey • Share Your Story • Capture the Beauty
Presented and Organised by IBG NEWS
Website: https://ibgnews.com
Email: [email protected]
Keonjhar Choiti Safar 2026
18–21 November 2026
News for the Earth, Rising the Bar…
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Let Your Journey Inspire Others!
Travel is more than visiting places. It is about experiences, emotions, discoveries and memories worth sharing.
Celebrate the Journey • Share Your Story • Capture the Beauty
Presented & Organised by IBG NEWS
www.ibgnews.com
News for the Earth, Rising the Bar…
