Largest Ever Submission to The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition completed by 9000 + Indian Students

James Clark
Jun 27
2 min read

11 April 2025 – Tamil Nadu, India's southernmost state, has become the site of the largest single submission ever recorded for The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC). An astounding 9,252 students simultaneously penned their essays across 28 different locations on the same day, at the exact same time. The essays were then digitised and submitted via the competition's official online portal, around two-thirds were junior entries, and the remaining third were senior.

The success of the mass submission is reflected in the words of the Principle of Ology Tech School, Peelamedu, who said: “It fills me with immense pride and admiration to watch our students engage whole-heartedly in The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2025, the participation in this prestigious platform is not merely an academic endeavour, it is a profound exercise in cultivating articulate expressions, critical thinking, and a genuine sense of global citizenship. This competition stands as a beacon for nurturing the next generation of thoughtful communicators and empathetic leaders. It empowers young voices to reflect deeply, speak enthusiastically, and contribute meaningfully to discourse that transcends boundaries.”

This remarkable undertaking was orchestrated by Mr. Dinesh Ganjendran, Founder of the Audacious Dreams Foundation. Speaking to the Royal Commonwealth Society, Mr. Ganjendran explained that the project aimed to significantly raise awareness for the competition, stating, "This accomplishment reflects our commitment to promoting Commonwealth values, global citizenship, and youth expression at scale."

Established in 2007, the Audacious Dreams Foundation is dedicated to inspiring, informing, engaging, enabling, and empowering young people towards greater global understanding and sustainable development. For many years, the foundation has championed the QCEC as an invaluable, free resource for students to hone their writing skills. Mr. Ganjendran, as founder and director, has been a supporter of the Commonwealth since 2013, contributing actively through organisations such as the Commonwealth Students Association and the Commonwealth Youth Council.

This colossal endeavour represents an unprecedented achievement in the history of the QCEC. The Royal Commonwealth Society extends its sincere gratitude to all those who played a pivotal role in this success, including the Global Understanding for Sustainable Development Academy and the Velammal Group Institutions, schools under Ology Tech, Velammal Bodhi Campus, Velammal Vidyashram, Velammal Matriculation, and Velammal Vidyalaya.