Guwahati, Mar 17: Dr. Partha Sarathi Mahanta, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Assam and Commissioner of Police, Guwahati, has received the Best Director Award at the New York Short Animation Festival (NYSAF) 2026 for his animated short film CHYIMI.

The festival recognises innovative storytelling in animation from filmmakers worldwide. CHYIMI was commended for its artistic direction and narrative inspired by Assamese culture.

Dr. Mahanta stated that animation “allows stories to travel beyond boundaries of language and geography” and expressed honour at the film being acknowledged internationally. He added that the recognition shows that cultural stories from Assam can have global appeal.

The award highlights the growing international presence of Indian and Assamese animation. NYSAF, in partnership with Cine Universitario UACJ, Mexico, provides selected films like CHYIMI with extended screenings and exposure.