Guwahati, October 23: A team of students from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has clinched the first prize at the 24hourscontest 2025, an international 24-hour animation challenge organized by Toon Boom Animation. Competing against 764 teams from 185 institutions across 35 countries, the IIT Guwahati team’s creativity and technical excellence stood out among more than 3,800 participants worldwide.
Supervised by Dr. Mriganka Madhukaillya, Assistant Professor at the Department of Design, the winning team comprised Arin Bandyopadhyay, Aditya Ravi Pawar, Aseel Pasha, and S. Balasankar. Their 30-second animated short, created under the theme “Flip Your Perspective,” impressed the judges for its innovative storytelling, artistry, and execution — all completed within a single day.
Congratulating the students, IIT Guwahati Director Prof. Devendra Jalihal said, “This achievement reflects the creativity and hard work of our students and faculty. Winning an international competition of this scale is a testament to the world-class talent nurtured at IIT Guwahati.”
The 24hourscontest is one of the most prestigious events in the animation world, known for its intense 24-hour deadline during which participants must produce a complete animated film from scratch. The competition prohibits pre-made assets and AI-generated visuals or sound, emphasizing originality, storytelling, and teamwork under pressure.
This year’s contest was sponsored by leading global studios and enterprises including Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Sony Pictures Animation, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros. Animation, DreamWorks, Netflix, Cartoon Saloon, Illumination, Wacom, and Toon Boom Animation.
As first-prize winners, the IIT Guwahati students have been awarded student passes to the Toronto Animation Arts Festival International (TAAFI) 2026, professional animation software licenses, studio memberships, and mentorship sessions with animators from Disney and other leading studios — marking a proud moment for Indian animation education and creativity on the global stage.
