As announced by College Sports Communicators (CSC) in Las Vegas on Wednesday (June 10), University of Toronto Varsity Blues photographer Aru Das placed fourth overall in the 2025-26 CSC Creative & Digital Design Contest - Photographer of the Year - Portfolio.

Das was selected as one of 10 finalists from the College Division for the Photographer of the Year - Portfolio honour in early May. The finalist selection came from a submission pool of 67 total entrants within the College Division. Das marked the only selection from a Canadian institution for the Photographer of the Year – Portfolio award, recognizing outstanding work from the entirety of the 2025-26 season. A familiar face on the sidelines, Das has covered numerous Varsity Blues sports including, but not limited too, football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, and track and field. A sampling of Das' incredible work is included below.

The CSC Creative & Digital Design Contest honours creatives in the categories of Photographer of the Year, Designer of the Year, and Videographer of the Year, including several subdivisions for specific work and overall portfolios. For the third consecutive year, the contest set a record for participation with an 18.7 percent increase from the previous year with a total of 2,565 entries. 980 entries came from the University Division while 1,585 entries came from College Division institutions. 14 of the 17 contest categories saw an increase in participation year over year, while the Portfolio Contests combined for 173 entries. Over the last three years, the contest has experienced an overall increase of nearly 170% from 957 entries in 2023-24.
         
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