Storytelling contest calls for raconteurs of all ages to showcase skills
The competition will be conducted by ACEnovation, with The Hindu in School as the media partner and VIT, Chennai as organising partner. The registration fee per participant is ₹400.
Participants from the age of 3 and above can submit stories in any language in a total of six categories.
Every registrant will be able to avail gift subscriptions to The Hindu Group's children's products (two months' subscription to The Hindu Young World or three months' subscription to Young World Club digital or six issues of The Hindu in School). They can also access free online workshops on the art and science of storytelling and choose to attend any two workshops on a variety of topics. A free entry into the 'Hornbill Calls – Leader Talk' series is also on offer.
The deadline to pay the fee is August 20, 2025 and free webinars will be held between May to August 2025.
Entry submission
A two-minute video should be submitted by August 21, 2025 in MP4 format. The submissions will be judged between August 21 and September 5 and finalists will be announced on September 10. The Junior finals will be held on September 20 and Senior finals will be held on September 21. The grand finale will be held on October 2 at VIT Chennai campus.
The first place in each of the six categories take home trophies and cash prizes ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹1,00,000. Second prizes start from ₹10,000 and third prizes from ₹3,000 across various categories.
For details, write to admin@acenovation.com or call +91 8939951230. Visit www.nationalstorytellingchampionship.com for registrations.
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Time of India
02-08-2025
- Time of India
Happy Friendship Day 2025 wishes, Instagram quotes, WhatsApp status to share with your closed ones
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The Hindu
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ACEnovation invites applications for National Storytelling Championship
The National Storytelling Championship India 2025, organised by ACEnovation, is inviting participants from ages 3 to over 103, across six categories, to share their stories, whether folk tales, personal anecdotes, or original fiction, in any language. The Hindu in School is the event's official media partner. In alignment with the National Education Policy, which recognises the importance of holistic development and creative expression, the championship provides a unique platform to enhance narrative abilities and confidently share their voices. The pan-India event aims to empower storytellers to address social issues, preserve local folklore, and promote cultural diversity. So far, over 1,000 registrations have been received from across the nation. 'The free workshops on storytelling and communication provided invaluable skills that I felt would enhance my narrative abilities,' Achinta Chopra, a participant from New Delhi, said. The registration fee is ₹400 per participant. Included in the registration are gift subscriptions to The Hindu's children's products — two months of The Hindu Young World or three months of Young World Club Digital or six issues of The Hindu in School 's Weekender; a free online workshop on the Art and Science of Storytelling; two additional free online workshops; gift vouchers; and free entry to the 'Hornbill Calls - Leader Talk' series. The last date to register is August 20. The stories can be submitted in any language. The grand finale will be held at the Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai campus, on October 2. Prizes include a trophy, and cash prizes of ₹25,000 for the junior category, and ₹1,00,00 for the senior category, among others. Visit for registration, guidelines, and more information. For inquiries, contact admin@ or call +91 8939951230. The Hindu in School is the media partner, and the organising partners are VIT Chennai, Amar Chitra Katha, MCC BOYD Tandon School of Business, The Blu Hornbill Club, and the World Storytelling Championship.
Time of India
24-07-2025
- Time of India
Marvel Spider-Man MTG Spoilers — Magic: The Gathering announces five new variants
In a major reveal during San Diego Comic-Con 2025, Wizards of the Coast unveiled the first wave of official Marvel Spider-Man MTG spoilers, launching a new crossover arc that blends the lore of Marvel Comics with the mechanics of Magic: The Gathering (MTG). These early previews offer a glimpse into a set that promises powerful new cards, nostalgic callbacks, and bold design innovations for both Standard and Commander formats. Five Spider-Men, One Multiverse: Legendary Lineup Unveiled The crossover, long anticipated by fans of both franchises, will introduce a roster of five legendary Spider-Man variants . This includes Spider-Man Noir and SP//dr at Uncommon, Spider-Man 2099 and Spider-Ham at Rare, and finally, a Mythic Rare version of Peter Parker, who flips into The Amazing Spider-Man—a standout example of MTG's modal double-faced card mechanics. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category MCA MBA Healthcare Finance Degree Operations Management Design Thinking Data Science healthcare Project Management Technology Product Management Others Digital Marketing Data Analytics Leadership CXO Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Management others Public Policy Data Science Skills you'll gain: Programming Proficiency Data Handling & Analysis Cybersecurity Awareness & Skills Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Master of Computer Applications Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Each Spider-Man card reflects a different timeline and creative tone. Fans of Sony's Into the Spider-Verse films will find familiar characters—though notably absent are Spider-Gwen and Peter B. Parker, who may appear in subsequent reveals, as mentioned in a report by IGN. Peter Parker's Transformation: A Double-Sided Gamechanger Among the Marvel Spider-Man MTG spoilers, the card generating the most buzz is Peter Parker / The Amazing Spider-Man. Uniquely designed, players can cast Peter Parker for two mana and pay four later to flip him into his heroic alter ego. Once transformed, the card grants a powerful 'web-slinging' ability—reducing the cost of casting Legendary spells by returning a tapped creature to hand. This card is already being discussed as a new staple in Commander decks. The flexible casting cost and built-in synergy make it a serious contender in value-oriented builds, particularly in decks that revolve around bouncing creatures or running a high volume of legends, as per a report by MTG Rocks. Live Events Spotlight on Origin of Spider-Man: A Flexible Saga The newly revealed Origin of Spider-Man saga is another standout entry. For just two mana, the card offers three unique chapter effects that can boost existing creatures or generate a temporary 3/2 Spider token with Double Strike. This utility allows players to tailor the card to various archetypes, from Mono-White Aggro to more experimental builds like Standard Yuna, Hope of Spira or Selesnya counters-matter decks. While flavor purists may point out inconsistencies—such as applying saga buffs to non-Spider creatures—the design sacrifices thematic rigidity in favor of strategic flexibility, which has drawn praise from competitive players. Constructed Viability: Standard, Pioneer, and Beyond The current Marvel Spider-Man MTG spoilers suggest that cards like Origin of Spider-Man are designed with Standard in mind. While the saga offers strong early game value and versatility, its long-term impact in older formats like Modern or Legacy is less certain due to the pace and efficiency of those environments. In Pioneer, there's cautious optimism about the saga's potential role in Mono-White Aggro or Enigmatic Incarnation shells, especially for players seeking new tools in creature-heavy matchups. But for now, its true home appears to be Standard, where synergy with recent cards from Edge of Eternities is strongest. Commander Potential: Tom Bombadil and Saga Synergy Though Origin of Spider-Man is built for Standard play, it has potential in the Commander format as well. In particular, decks led by Tom Bombadil, which focus on saga recursion, may find this two-drop to be an efficient early play. While the color identity (white) could limit its use in pure Spider Typal Commander decks, its design offers value that can't be ignored in saga-heavy strategies. That said, the card's individual chapter effects—while powerful in the short term—may not scale well into longer Commander games unless paired with significant saga support. Alternate Art: A Nod to Comic Book Roots To further engage comic fans, Wizards of the Coast has introduced an Iconic Moments treatment for select cards. One such version of Peter Parker features cover art from The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (1963), complete with credits to Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko. This variant celebrates Spider-Man's legacy and aims to appeal to collectors as much as competitive players. These alternate art versions are part of the upcoming Booster Fun lineup, which continues MTG's trend of offering visually diverse and historically significant treatments for its Universes Beyond products. Real-World Activation: Spider-Man Event at Comic-Con Coinciding with the spoiler reveal, Wizards of the Coast is also hosting a hands-on Spider-Man MTG event at San Diego's Hard Rock Hotel. Newcomers can try themed Welcome Decks built around the web-slinger, as part of WOTC's ongoing push to onboard fresh players through Universes Beyond IPs. Industry watchers note that this strategy is paying off. Hasbro recently reported $200 million in day-one revenue from its Final Fantasy set, suggesting that branded collaborations are proving to be more than a marketing gimmick—they're a financial powerhouse. What's Next? More Spoilers to Come While excitement is high, players shouldn't expect the full spoiler season to begin just yet. This Comic-Con reveal serves as a 'First Look' rather than the start of formal previews. According to Wizards of the Coast, more Marvel Spider-Man MTG spoilers are scheduled to arrive closer to the set's September launch. For now, fans are encouraged to stay tuned for additional reveals, with several major characters—including Spider-Gwen—likely to appear as part of the complete roster. Given MTG's history of slowly escalating hype over weeks of previews, it's safe to assume that this is just the tip of the web. Web-Slinging Into MTG's Future With this initial batch of Marvel Spider-Man MTG spoilers, Magic: The Gathering signals its intent to continue exploring ambitious IP mashups without sacrificing competitive integrity. From double-faced mechanics to saga-based power plays, the cards shown so far blend flavor with function in a way that long-time fans and new players alike can appreciate. The coming weeks promise even more reveals and possibly deeper mechanical twists. But if the early previews are any indication, this Spider-Verse set might just swing its way into Magic's most iconic releases yet. FAQs What was revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 regarding Magic: The Gathering? Wizards of the Coast unveiled the first official spoilers for the Marvel Spider-Man crossover set in Magic: The Gathering. This marks a significant collaboration between Marvel Comics and MTG under the Universes Beyond product line. What is the theme of the new MTG set? The set is themed around Spider-Man and the Spider-Verse. It features multiple Spider-Man variants from across the Marvel multiverse, blending comic book lore with Magic's mechanics.
