The HWR Khozem Merchant non-fiction Fellowship

The fellowship gives writers for long form non fiction support and mentoring. Penguin Random House India and HWR will make the selection. The selected fellows will attend a course, a residency and get financial support by way of this fellowship.

With this fellowship we would like to ‘institutionalise courage’ and encourage writers to tell stories that move our society forward. We encourage first person accounts and lived experience narratives, and those that offer solutions to our many challenges as a nation.

Selected Fellows will:
– Attend a writing Masterclass with Jerry Pinto (7-11 May, 2025).
– Attend a 21-day writing residency in the Himalayas (13 July– 3 Aug, 2025).
– Receive financial support: ₹50,000 + ₹20,000 travel fund.
– Submit their finished manuscripts to Penguin Random House India by 30th April, 2026.

Penguin will look at the finished manuscripts and may offer a publishing deal.

Non-fiction Writers in the following categories can apply:
Personal Narratives | True Accounts | Lived Experiences | Biographies | Memoirs | History | Narrative Non-Fiction | Investigative Journalism

Open to Indian citizens and residents aged 25 and above, writing in English.

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Enquiries about submissions should be directed to Himalayan Writing Retreat. Please always refer to their website for complete details and information.

Please note, this competition is run by Himalayan Writing Retreat. not the Commonwealth Foundation.