Contest Guidelines
Everything you need to enter
Read through carefully before you submit. Entries that don't follow these guidelines may be disqualified — so a few minutes here saves your work later.
3
Photos
per entry
per entry
2
Videos
per entry
per entry
18+
Age to
enter
enter
FREE
Entry Fee
Who can enter
Professional photographers based in India
Amateur photographers based in India
Participants aged 18 and above
Persons with disabilities are warmly encouraged
Submission guidelines
- Online uploads only for all entries.
- Photo format: RGB, JPG.
- Photos at 300 DPI — max 1920px (landscape) or 1080px (portrait).
- Maximum photo file size: 15 MB.
- No watermarks, logos, borders or copyright marks.
- Only full-bleed photographs are accepted.
- Video: MP4 (H.264), min 1080p, 16:9, max 2 minutes.
- Both video entries combined should be under 1 GB.
- Off-theme entries won't be considered.
- Deadline: 31 Oct 2026, 11:59 PM IST.
- Shortlisted entrants may be asked for RAW / original files.
- Complete your submission in one sitting; exiting midway may require you to start your submission again.
- A single participant can submit multiple entries.
Photography
| Format | JPG · RGB · sRGB profile |
| Minimum size | 3000px (long side) |
| Maximum size | 15 MB |
| Editing | Basic colour correction & cropping only |
| AI | AI-generated images not permitted |
| Metadata | EXIF data must stay intact |
| Accessibility | 1–2 sentence alt text required |
| Filename | Name_Category_Title.jpg |
| Max entries | 3 photographs |
Videography
| Format | MP4 (H.264 codec) |
| Audio | AAC 48 kHz |
| Resolution | Minimum 1080p |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 or 9:16 (reels) |
| Duration | 30 seconds – 2 minutes |
| Captions | English subtitles mandatory |
| Music | Original / royalty-free / licensed |
| Watermarks | Not allowed |
| Max entries | 2 videos |
Dos & Don'ts for visual storytellers
The Do list
- Research & context Spend time with your subject before you make the story.
- Agency & power Capture people working, creating, leading and celebrating.
- Collaborative consent Let subjects review and approve their final images.
The Don't list
- The pity gaze Don't frame people through helplessness or despair.
- Inspiration porn Don't present disability as inspiring merely for existing.
- Staged sadness Never ask participants to fake emotion for effect.
Ethics & consent
- Submitted work may appear in exhibitions, media features and APD advocacy campaigns.
- Content must uphold the dignity and rights of persons with disabilities under the RPWD Act, 2016.
- Written consent is mandatory for every identifiable person in your work.
- Generative-AI content is not allowed; AI may only assist with captions or noise reduction.
Copyright & usage rights
- Entrants must own the complete copyright to submitted work.
- Copyright always stays with the photographer or filmmaker.
- APD may use entries to promote the awards, without monetary compensation.
- For any future commercial use, creators are contacted and may accept or decline.
- Entries that violate copyright will be removed and disqualified.
How judging works
1
The APD jury reviews every submission.
2
Shortlisted entries move to round two.
3
Independent judges pick winners by blind evaluation.
4
Winners are notified by email.
Note: Winners will be asked to share their PAN card details for prize disbursement purposes, in compliance with applicable tax regulations.
How to submit
01
Fill out the
registration form
.
02
Give your entry a title in the submission portal.
03
Upload your photo(s) or video(s).
04
Add your 50-word story in the
“Story Description”
field.
05
Submit your entry before the deadline.
Submission deadline
31 October 2026
11:59 PM IST
