Patliputra Samvad · Edition II · August 2026
स्थान और पहचान

Sthān aur Pehchān  ·  Track II

Your town has a story that no textbook carries. Walk its lanes. Sit with its elders. Find what makes it irreplaceable — and put it on a poster the world can see.

Learn More ↓
Already know the track? Register directly —

The Observer Is the Architect.

This is not a school project. It is a civilisational documentation exercise. We are asking you to stop looking at screens and start looking at your streets, your elders, and your soil — to discover the identity of your own village or town.

One story heard from a local elder is worth more than ten pages copied from Wikipedia. That is the standard we hold.

Principle 01

Originality over Compilation

We value one story heard directly from a community member over ten pages assembled from the internet. The rarer and more local your content, the better your score.

Principle 02

Hyper-Locality

Choose your native village or town. If picking a well-known city, zoom into a specific neighbourhood — Kankarbagh in Patna, the riverside lanes of Gaya. General city profiles are not accepted.

Principle 03

No Elimination, Only Evolution

Every team that completes the journey to a final poster is invited to exhibit at Samvad Divas. The process itself is the qualification. There is no cut that prevents you from showing your work.

Principle 04

Language of the Soil

Present in Hindi, English, Hinglish, or your local mother tongue — as long as the story is clear, language is no bar. Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magahi, Angika — all are welcome on the poster.

अपनी मिट्टी को पहचानो — तभी उसे बदल सकते हो।

Know your soil — only then can you transform it.

From Registration to Exhibition

Four phases across three months. The poster is the destination — the real work is the journey of inquiry before you design a single element.

1
Phase 1 · May 02 – May 31
Register & Orient
  • Registrations Open May 02
    Individual and team registration open simultaneously. Register individually first; complete your team of 3 before May 31.
  • Introductory Workshop — "How to See Your Town" May 20
    Orientation on the track. What we mean by hyper-local documentation. How to choose your place. What makes a great poster. Open to all registered students.
  • Team Registration Closes May 31
    Teams of exactly 3 members. Cross-class teams fully permitted.
💡 Choose a place you can actually visit — your own village, town, or a specific neighbourhood you know well. Remote documentation from the internet defeats the purpose.
2
Phase 2 · June 06 – June 28
Research & Field Work
  • Virtual Session — "What to Do and How to Do It" June 06
    Detailed guidance on field research, interview techniques, how to document community stories, and what content makes a strong submission.
  • Raw Data Submission June 26
    Submit a Word document containing your raw research — written content only, no design. This includes your field notes, interview summaries, historical findings, and community observations.
  • Mentor Content Review June 28
    Written feedback on your research depth and originality. Guidance on what to add or strengthen before you begin designing.
📋 The raw data submission is the most important milestone. It separates teams who did field work from teams who compiled from screens. Mentors read everything.
3
Phase 3 · July 06 – July 27
Design & Create
  • Creative Studio Session July 06
    Virtual workshop on poster layout, visual storytelling, and using AI design tools (Canva, Adobe Express) to bring your research to life. Hand-drawn posters are equally welcome.
  • Digital Poster Submission July 27
    Final designed poster submitted as a high-resolution digital file. Hand-drawn posters submitted as clear photographs. Both formats are equally accepted and evaluated.
4
Phase 4 · August 2026
Review & Exhibit
  • Final Review Session August 02
    Last feedback round before printing. Suggestions on final adjustments. Guidance on printing and bringing your poster to Patna.
  • Samvad Divas — Exhibition Day August 2026 · Patna
    Every completing team exhibits. Teams bring printed hard copies (A1 or A0). The exhibition is open to all Samvad Divas attendees — your town's story reaches the room. Venue and exact date to be announced.
🎨 Every team that submits a final poster exhibits. There is no selection cut for the exhibition. The room sees every story.

Team Structure & Categories

Track II is designed for school students in Classes 7 to 12. Teams of exactly three — and cross-class collaboration is not just permitted, it is encouraged. A Class 7 student's curiosity often surfaces what a Class 12 student's preparation overlooks.

🎓
Eligibility
Class 7 – 12
Open to all school students in Classes 7 through 12. No institutional affiliation required — any student can apply directly.
👥
Team Size
Exactly 3
Teams of exactly 3 members. Cross-class and cross-school teams fully permitted. Bihar connection preferred but not mandatory.
🏆
Cost
Free
Completely free to participate. Selected teams travel to Patna for Samvad Divas — travel support details shared closer to the event.
Judging Categories

Junior — Classes 7–9

Senior — Classes 10–12

Mixed-class teams are judged in the category of their eldest member.
Why the Same Requirements for Both?

Observation is a skill independent of age. A Class 7 student might find a hidden local legend that a Class 12 student overlooks. Mandatory sections are identical — what differs is the depth and complexity the jury expects at each level.

What Goes on the Canvas

The poster is an A1 exhibition piece — physical, printed, displayed on a wall at Samvad Divas. But the poster is the smaller part. What goes on it is the result of months of walking, asking, listening, and documenting.

A1 – A0
2–3 Sheets

Format Notes

Teams may use 2–3 sheets of A1 or A0 size. Designed digitally or drawn by hand — both formats are equally valued. The richer and more original the content, the better the score. Visual polish without research depth will not win.

15–30

Community Interviews — The Core of the Work

Every team must conduct a minimum of 15 to 30 community interviews — with elders, artisans, farmers, shopkeepers, teachers, anyone who carries the memory of the place. These conversations are the soul of the poster. They cannot be replaced by internet research.

Mandatory Sections
Required

Identity & History

A brief about the place and the story behind its name. Why does this place exist? What named it? What defined its earliest character?

Required

Connectivity & Demography

Basic population and demographic details. How does a traveller reach this place? What connects it to the rest of Bihar and the country?

Required

The Silent Witnesses

  • Oldest trees — species, approximate age, current state
  • Old water bodies — wells, ponds, rivers, their history and present condition
Required

Human Stories

Summaries of your 15–30 community interviews. What did the elders say? What stories, memories, or concerns surfaced that no document carries?

Required

Vision 2047

A grounded, specific vision for your community's future. Not a wish list — a reasoned projection. What could this town become by 2047 if its strengths were built upon? What needs to change, and who needs to act?

Optional Sections — Earn Higher Scores
Optional

Historical Anchors

Notable temples, monuments, or historical figures connected to the place. What physical memory of the past still stands?

Optional

Flora & Fauna

Special plants, animals, or birds commonly found in or associated with the place. What is ecologically distinct about this land?

Optional

Community Strengths

What is the best thing about this community? What does it do better than anywhere else — a craft, a tradition, a way of life, a social practice?

Optional

One Enterprise Idea

Rooted in your research — one small enterprise idea that could grow from this place's specific strengths. No business plan needed. Just the seed of a thought.

The Score Follows the Research.

Scores reward the depth and originality of your field work, not the visual sophistication of your poster. A hand-drawn poster with rare original content will always outscore a beautifully designed poster assembled from the internet.

40%

Research Depth & Originality

Quality and rarity of content. Evidence of field work — community interviews, on-ground observation, local memory. The more original and lesser-known, the better.

25%

Completeness of Mandatory Sections

Are all five mandatory sections present and substantive? Has the team engaged seriously with each one, or skimmed the surface?

20%

Clarity & Storytelling

How well does the poster communicate its place to someone who has never been there? Is the story clear, structured, and compelling regardless of language?

15%

Optional Sections & Vision 2047

Depth and specificity of the Vision 2047 section, and quality of any optional sections included. Bonus for the enterprise idea if it is genuinely rooted in local research.

The No-Elimination Promise

Every team that submits a final poster is invited to exhibit at Samvad Divas — no exceptions. Prizes and recognition go to the top-scoring teams. But the exhibition wall belongs to everyone who completed the journey. The process itself is the qualification.

Your Town Is Waiting to Be Found.

Individual registration takes ten seconds. Form your team of three and choose your place before May 31.

What Happens After You Register
1
May 02
Registrations open
2
May 20
Intro workshop
3
May 31
Team reg closes
4
Jun 06
Research session
5
Jun 26
Raw data due
6
Jul 06
Design session
7
Jul 27
Poster submission
8
Aug 2026
Exhibition · Patna
Common Questions
Does our team need to be from the same school?
No. Cross-school teams are permitted. What matters is a shared commitment to one place.
Can we pick any place in India or only Bihar?
Any place — but teams with a Bihar connection are strongly encouraged. The spirit of this track is Bihar's villages and towns.
Can we draw the poster by hand?
Yes. Hand-drawn posters are equally accepted and evaluated. Visual medium is your choice — the research is what we read.
What if we can't travel to Patna for the exhibition?
Finalists are selected to exhibit in Patna. Travel support details will be shared with teams closer to Samvad Divas.
What language should the poster be in?
Any language — Hindi, English, Hinglish, or your local dialect. Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magahi, Angika are all welcome. Clarity is the only requirement.
Do we need to have 15–30 interviews before registering?
No. You register first, then do the research over the next two months. The interviews are due as part of the raw data submission on June 26.