When I was fourteen, my school entered one of my paintings in a competition in India, The Shankar’s International Children’s Competition. How my—very inspiring—art teacher, Mrs Orfanou, came upon this competition, I have no idea.
I won a ‘gold medal’ in my category, for my painting of racehorses. I think it was done in gouache.
I don’t remember having actually received a real gold medal, but I must have had some kind of certificate and also a copy of the book the organisers published each year.
There are 17000 entries from 83 countries! There are twelve pages of photographs of the gold medalists, for every category. Along with the paintings, there are also short stories and poems.
Look how old-fashioned some of the suggested subjects are—I wonder if kids today even know what a pedlar or a hawker is.
Interestingly, I googled the competition, and it continued until 2019! Having been set up in 1949 for children in India, the next year it was opened to kids from all over the world. Sadly, I could not find anything more recent than 2019, so I assume it is no more.
In an unexpected turn of events, via the competition I acquired an Indian penpal named, if memory serves me right, Rajesh Malhotra, with whom I corresponded for a number of years. No idea what we wrote about, I suppose school and hobbies etc. We also practiced our English! (This was before the internet, and Facebook, obviously—people actually wrote letters.)
Footnote: When you decide to sort out the bookcases, the unexpected might turn up.
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Letters from Athens 
That was a well-deserved gold medal, Marina. (Even if you actually never received it)
Your racehorses painting was excellent.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I have a huge smile on my face . . . memories, such similar memories! I was an immigrant kid, also 15, when during my second year in Australia, was entered by my school art deparment in the UNICEF International illumination (lettering) contest and, hugely to everyone’s surprise, won it worldwide! Methinks this raised awareness as far as ‘those funny kids not speaking English’ no end!!! And I also LOVED my two penfriends, even tho’ it took about three weeks to receive the next letter !! Love your beautiful horses and that very serious photo – we looked pretty alike – and both SO serious !!!
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How cool is that! We must meet some day!
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Well isn’t that excellent. I expect your gold medal is in the post somewhere.
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Well done Marina XX
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Old fashioned in a way – it was an Indian competition and even today I think most Indians will recognise ‘hawker’ and ‘pedlar’. But your gold medal was well deserved.
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You’re right, Mick—I didn’t think of it that way. Sadly, I’ve never been to India
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If you get the chance, do go. It’s an amazing place.
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What a delightful discovery for you. Yes, sorting and purging can uncover wonderful memories. Your painting is wonderful, and deserving of a gold medal.
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