The Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has announced ‘MeghMalhar’, a national photography contest inviting photographers, storytellers, students, and creative enthusiasts from across India to celebrate the beauty, emotions, and environmental significance of the monsoon through visual narratives and short stories.A release said the contest aims to promote photography as a powerful medium for storytelling, celebrate India’s rich monsoon heritage, and encourage meaningful conversations on environmental sustainability.The contest is being held in two categories. The ‘MeghMalhar’ category is open to participants from across India under the theme ‘Fun and fury of rain’. Student photographers can also compete here and win special prizes.The ‘My MAHE, My Campus’ category is exclusively for MAHE students, faculty, and staff across all its campuses. Participants can document the vibrant campus life, unique experiences, architectural beauty, cultural diversity, and monsoon moments that define the MAHE community.The MeghMalhar open category offers cash prizes of ₹25,000, ₹15,000 and ₹10,000 for the top three winners, along with five merit certificates carrying ₹2,000 each. Special student awards in this category carry cash prizes of ₹5,000, ₹3,000 and ₹2,000 for the top three winners, along with five merit certificates of ₹1,000 each. The ‘My MAHE’ category offers cash prizes of ₹5,000, ₹3,000 and ₹2,000 for the top three winners, along with five merit certificates of ₹1,000 each.Original photographs and stories must be submitted before August 31. Selected works will be showcased at the Photography Exhibition 2026 on September 17 in Manipal.Registration details, eligibility criteria, submission guidelines, contest rules, and exhibition information are available at https://mahe.fotosalons.in. For queries, email meghmalhar2026.mahe@manipal.edu. Published - August 04, 2026 06:05 pm IST