Four students from Hyderabad’s IACG Multimedia College participated in the The Rookies’ monthly art challenge themed ‘After Dark’. P. Jagan Rao from IACG won this global challenge out of more than a hundred entries for his artwork titled Good Night.
The challenge invited students to visually capture the mood and magic that unfolds once the sun sets. ‘After Dark’ was not just about nightfall. It was about everything that comes with it which is quiet streets, city lights, hidden stories, solitude, chaos, or peace. Artists were asked to show how the world transforms when the usual noise of the day slips into something deeper and more personal.
Rao’s piece Good Night captured the theme in a deeply personal and visually stunning way, striking a perfect balance between mood, technique, and imagination. This win highlights the growing strength of Indian creative education and talent on international platforms. Challenges like The Rookies’ ‘After Dark’ are more than just contests; they are stages where the next generation of creatives show the world what’s coming.
With 117 entries from 53 creative schools across 25 countries, the showcase featured a diverse array of artistic expressions, from atmospheric cityscapes to surreal dreamlike compositions. The event witnessed participation of art schools from Europe, North America, and East Asia. Among the many striking submissions, India’s IACG Multimedia College from India emerged as a recurring name, with four of its students demonstrating a strong creative presence and distinctive storytelling approach.
The three other students who made it to the finals from IACG were Uday Kumar, Shiva Prasan and Rohit Maravada. Amongst them Kavali Uday Kumar received a highly commended mention which is an acknowledgment given to only a handful of entries that stood out just below the top tier.
The Rookies is a platform which awards the best schools with its Certified School accreditation. To know more about it, Read: Telangana’s IACG institute recognised in The Rookies’ rankings
