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Animation has always been a medium that sparks imagination, tells compelling stories, and brings worlds to life, inspiring generations of artists and creators.
Celebrating this spirit of creativity and excellence, the Animation & More (AM) Summit and Ann Awards 2025 presented three prestigious honours on Day 1 of the summit: the Ram Mohan Award for Excellence in Animation, the Arnab Chaudhuri Director’s Awards, and the DigiCon6 Asia Awards. Organised by AnimationXpress, these awards recognise remarkable talent and contributions that are shaping the future of animation.
At the Ann Awards ceremony held on 22 August 2025 in Mumbai, the prestigious Ram Mohan Award was conferred upon Suresh Eriyat. As the founder of Studio Eeksaurus, Eriyat has long been recognised as a visionary force in Indian animation, with a body of work that blends innovation, artistry, and cultural resonance. His recognition this year celebrates not just his groundbreaking projects but also his enduring impact in shaping the future of the industry.
The award was presented by Dr Sheila Rao, wife of the legendary Mohan; their son Kartik; Graphiti Studios co-founders Munjal Shroff and Tilak Shetty, and AnimationXpress founder, chairman and editor-in-chief Anil NM Wanvari. Eriyat’s work was lauded for his exceptional contributions and lasting impact on the Indian animation industry.
As the founder and creative director of Studio Eeksaurus, he has spearheaded the production of more than 250 films in 14 years, earning more than 200 national and international accolades, including Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Awards and AdFest honours. His recent animated stop-motion short, Desi Oon, which celebrates India’s indigenous Deccani sheep and wool, won the Jury Award for Best Commissioned Film at the Annecy International Animation Festival 2025, further stepping on the global stage.
Additionally. he has served as a jury member at the Annecy International Animation Festival (2025) and other notable international events. Currently, he is based in Mumbai and continues to lead Studio Eeksaurus as its founder and creative director, mentoring a new generation of animators and pushing the boundaries of Indian animation.
The late Padma Shri Ram Mohan, known as the father of Indian animation, laid the foundation for a vibrant animation industry. In his honour, AnimationXpress, with Graphiti Multimedia, launched the Ram Mohan Award for Excellence in Animation in 2022, presented annually at the Ann Awards during the AM Summit to recognise creators who embody his pioneering spirit.
In 2022, the award was presented to veteran animator and professor Dhimant Vyas. The following year, in 2023, it was awarded to Prakash Moorthy, a multi-talented artist and educator recognised for his contributions to animation, filmmaking, and production design. At the Ann Awards 2024, the honour went to Nina Sabnani, an accomplished artist, educator, and animation filmmaker.
Further, the Ann Awards 2025 revealed the winners of the Arnab Chaudhuri Director’s Award. Presented in two categories, the Young Ace Award for students, and the Animation Ace Award for directors and professionals, the awards showcase both emerging talent and established industry leaders.
The Animation Ace Award 2025 was presented to Anirban Paul. Paul received a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and a Huion tablet. This award judged by a distinguished panel of experts who had the privilege of working closely with Arnab Chaudhuri. The jury members included:
The Arnab Chaudhuri Young Ace Award 2025 was awarded to Govinda Sao, recognising his exceptional promise as an animator. The entries in this award were judged by Vaibhav Studios founder Vaibhav Kumaresh, Awasthi and Wanvari. In a special decision this year, the jury also gave a special mention to Swathy Pushpalochanan for his outstanding work.
Sao, the winner of the Young Ace award, received a cash prize of Rs 30,000, and a Huion tablet. Pushpalochanan received a Huion tablet.
The Arnab Chaudhuri Director’s Awards were presented on the stage by Awasthi, Wanvari, Sabnani as well as Chaudhuri’s brother Sudeep, who had joined the Ann Awards ceremony especially to present the award to the winners.
Introduced in 2021 at the Ann Awards, celebrates the creative brilliance and enduring legacy of Arnab Chaudhuri, a pioneer who placed Indian animation on the global stage. This prestigious accolade recognises animators and directors whose work continues to inspire the next generation.
The DigiCon6 Asia awards celebrate creativity, offering a platform for outstanding creators to be recognised on an international stage. Showcasing short films of under 15 minutes, the awards highlight artistry, compelling storytelling, and imaginative worlds. This year too, AnimationXpress continued its role as the official Indian representative for the prestigious DigiCon6 Asia Awards.
From the multiple entries AnimationXpress received, three have been shortlisted, and will represent India, competing alongside creators from other Asian countries as official entries at the 27th DigiCon6 Asia finals, which will be held in Autumn 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.
Below were the shortlisted projects in the three categories:
The AM Summit remains the premier gathering for the animation industry, highlighting the sector’s remarkable growth and innovation. The 2025 edition took place on 22 and 23 August at Nesco, Mumbai. Both the days of the summit concluded with the Ann Awards, the esteemed accolades that honour the outstanding creative talent driving the Indian animation industry forward.
The event was presented by Anime Times and Toyota, co-powered by Yotta. The gold partner circle features 88 Pictures, ARK, Maxon, Epic Games, and Unreal Engine, while silver partners included Redington, Autodesk, and Zebu Animation Studios. Datsi joined as the talent development partner and the associate partners were Fuji Film and Sony YAY!. PlayStation was the official gaming partner, with Powerkids Entertainment as the lanyards and badges partner.
Further enriching the summit, Shinchan:Spicy Kasukabe Dancers in India was on board as the delegate bag partner, Bright Outdoor Media as outdoor partner, and Jetro and MDEC as country partners. Industry partners included Captain Raaj, Huion, IICT, Toonz Media Group, Toonsutra and XP Pen. The festival partner is DigiCon6 Asia and the education partners are Atlas (ISDI), Arena FC College, Cosmos Creative Academy, Dr DY Patil School of Design, Frameboxx 2.0, ITM Skills University, Incube 8, KES College, MAAC, RJ College, Prime Focus Academy, Thakur College, MIT Art Design & Technology University, Mithibai College, Tron Education, Srajan College of Design, Veda Institute, Whistling Woods International and Zica.
