Bukmuk Publishing · Heritage · Vol. I

The stories they told you. Make them forever.

Those afternoons at your grandparents’ house, and the stories that always came out. Go and ask for one again. Write down what they say and send it to us. The best ones go into a printed book, under their name, for your family to keep and for the world to read.

Send a story inBring it to my school or society
Free with a school or society codeIn EnglishCloses 31 October 2026, 11:59 pm IST
60+
Storyteller’s age
800
Words at most
₹490
To enter, or free with a code
21
Days left to enter

01  How it works

  1. AskPick a theme below and ask your grandparent about it. Record it on your phone if that is easier.
  2. Write it downBetween 400 and 800 words, in their words. You do not need to be a writer.
  3. Send it inBefore 31 October 2026, 11:59 pm IST. ₹490, or free with a school or society code.

Who writes it down

Usually a grandchild, but a son or daughter is fine, and so is the grandparent writing it themselves. The form asks which.

Whoever types it, the story goes in the book under your grandparent’s name.

02  The three themes

400 to 800 words

The Place I Came From

The place they grew up in, and most likely left. What it looked like, who was on the street, what happened there.

400 to 800 words

The Work of My Hands

The work they did for thirty years. The shop, the field, the classroom, the office, and what they were proud of.

400 to 800 words

Someone You Never Met

Someone they still talk about, who you never got to meet. Your chance to finally know them.

One story per theme. If a grandparent has three stories in them, all three are welcome.

03  What the published storytellers get

Your grandparent’s name on a real book, with an ISBN, for the family to keep.

  • ·The story printed in an anthology with a real ISBN, sold in India and internationally
  • ·The storyteller credited by name as the author of their story
  • ·A printed certificate of publication in their name
  • ·An author page on bukmukpublishing.com
  • ·The chance for the family to order copies before anyone else

What it costs

₹490

Per story, paid by UPI, card or net banking. Free for anyone entering through a partner school or society with their code.

Copies of the book are only offered once your story is in.

04  Send a story in

Before you start

  • ·About five minutes, once the story is written.
  • ·The story needs to be in English.
  • ·Have it ready as a Word document or a PDF. You will attach it in Step 3.
  • ·Entering through a school or society? Have their code, and expect a six digit email confirmation.
  • ·Nothing is lost if you stop halfway. What you type is kept on this device.

Step 1 · How you found us

Leave this blank if you do not have one. Entry is then ₹490.

It tells us where to take this next year. Nothing more.

Step 2 · The storyteller

The grandparent whose story this is. Their name goes in the book.

Open to storytellers of 60 and above.

Outside India? Enter the city and country.

Step 3 · The story

Theme

Every theme runs 400 to 800 words, whichever one you choose.

400 to 800 words, whichever theme you pick.

Typed up from a recording or an interview is perfectly fine. Most of these stories are told out loud before they are ever written down.

Step 4 · You

Whoever is filling this in. We write to you, not to the storyteller.

Everything about the entry goes here.

Only used if the story is selected and a book needs posting.

Step 5 · Before you send it

From the storyteller

₹490 per story. Free if your school or society is taking part.

Stuck on any of this, or something not working? WhatsApp Shefali on +91 81302 86286 or write to [email protected]. A real person answers.

05  For schools, societies and groups

Bring it to your school or society.

Schools, residents’ associations and seniors’ groups get a code that makes entry free for their families. It costs you nothing.

  • ·Your own code, so every story from your community is credited to it
  • ·A one page brief you can forward on WhatsApp
  • ·Your name in the anthology, beside the stories that came from you
  • ·A copy of the book for your library or common room

WhatsApp +91 81302 86286 or write to [email protected] to get yours.

Why a code helps

Every entry from your community is free and credited to you. Anyone without a code can still enter for ₹490.

06  Before you enter

  • ·The storyteller must be 60 or above.
  • ·The story must be a true account from their own life.
  • ·Someone else may write it down or type it up. That is expected, not a problem.
  • ·No AI tools may be used to write it. We may ask how it was put together.
  • ·Between 400 and 800 words.
  • ·Written in English. If the story was told in another language, write it down in English.
  • ·Send it as a Word document or a PDF, up to 10 MB.
  • ·Entries close 31 October 2026, 11:59 pm IST.
  • ·The decision of the editors and of Bukmuk Publishing is final and binding, and not open to appeal.

On difficult stories

Stories of Partition, migration, loss and illness are welcome. We always check with you before editing anything sensitive.

Read the terms and privacy policy.

07  Questions, or something gone wrong

Talk to a person.

A question, a file that will not upload, or a grandparent who would rather tell the story over the phone: write or call, and quote your entry reference if you have one.

Shefali Malhotra

Founder, and the person who reads the entries.

Entries close 31 October 2026, 11:59 pm IST.