Each year, the Indian Link Diwali Art Contest brings a burst of light and colour into our newsroom. It’s a joyful reminder that creativity has no age limit, especially when the inspiration is the festival of lights itself. 2025 Diwali Art Contest
This year’s entries were filled with dazzling imagination and festive warmth. Standing out for their composition, precision and unmistakable Diwali flair were 11-year-old Khushal Aggarwal from Craigieburn, VIC, winner of the 8-years-and-above category, and 5-year-old Jiya Merai from Point Cook, VIC, winner of the 7-and-under category.
A rainbow that finally shone through
For Khushal Aggarwal, the win feels especially sweet. It’s been four years in the making. Ever since he first entered the competition, the young artist has been refining his skills, experimenting with shades, and learning the patience that art demands. “This year, I was determined to do my best,” Khushal tells Indian Link. 2025 Diwali Art Contest
His winning piece radiates like a rainbow mandala, a perfect balance of discipline and play. Before finalising the design, he practised for nearly two weeks, testing colour combinations until he settled on a full spectrum of hues that mirror the joy of Diwali. The final artwork took him two evenings to complete, working after school and dinner.
Though he doesn’t attend formal art classes and cricket is his main passion, Khushal says this experience has inspired him to take art more seriously. His uncle Yogesh, who has cheered him on every year, calls the win “a proud moment for the whole family,” adding that the contest “keeps kids connected to our vibrant Indian culture and traditions.”
And how does Khushal describe Diwali? “It’s a colourful, elegant and happy day filled with gifts, candles, rangolis, garlands, food, fireworks, and prayers to the gods Ganesh and Lakshmi.”
He wins a $75 book voucher, along with the satisfaction of knowing that persistence pays off. He’s looking forward to seeing his artwork on Indian Link’s annual Diwali card.
Tiny hands, big imagination
At just five, little Jiya Merai has already shown that creativity knows no bounds. Her neat artwork bursting with pink, purple, and green tones, stood out for its joyful energy and sense of symmetry, echoing the spirit of a mandala.
“I just wanted to make it look beautiful,” she says followed by an innocent giggle. “I
love sketch pens, and black and purple are my favourite colours. I want to become an artist
when I grow up.”
Her mother, Purvi Merai, shares that Jiya loves colours and ardently follows her
teachers from school, who guided her to fill colours within the lines.” Watching her daughter’s dedication, she adds, “I’m so proud of her for this achievement.”
When asked about Diwali, Jiya’s eyes light up: “We light sparklers, we light diyas, eat lots of sweets, meet friends and celebrate Diwali.”
It’s that sense of joy and celebration in her voice that shines through in her artwork, a bright burst of colour that feels perfectly festive. Jiya wins a $50 book voucher for her
winning entry.
Maahi Menda of Hamlyn Terrace NSW and Praanavi Kulkarni of Glen Iris VIC took
the runner up awards in the 8-12 Years and 7 Years & Under categories respectively. They
receive book vouchers valued at $50 each.
A festival of creativity and connection
The annual Indian Link Diwali Kids Art Contest has clearly become a much-loved tradition. Many young artists, like Khushal, return year after year — often inspiring their younger siblings to join in too. Several finalists said it was their parents who encouraged them to enter, after spotting the contest on Indian Link’s social media, print, and e-newsletter platforms.
From Khushal’s patient rainbow gradients to Jiya’s joy-filled strokes, this year’s Diwali Art Contest winners remind us that art, much like Diwali, is about illumination, imagination, and heart.
Each child’s work captures a unique way of seeing the world: one through disciplined precision, the other through uninhibited play.
Together, they remind us that the brightest lights often come from the youngest hands.
Indian Link congratulates all participants for bringing the Festival of Lights to life – one
brushstroke at a time. 2025 Diwali Art Contest
