[Agnes Linko]
ITANAGAR, 17 Jul: Ogin Nayam, a visual artist who brings life to his imagination through water colour, has brought pride to the state by becoming the fourth recipient of the prestigious Mehlli Golbhai Award for the best illustrator of children’s book, 2025.
His wordless book, When the Sun Sets, is a mesmerising journey of how a day looks like in Ane Donyi’s life after a hard day’s work. Descending beyond the mountains she sets forward for home, where she continues with her homely chores, knits scarves and sweaters for the clouds to keep them warm, interacts with the many creatures in the spiritual realm, and finally sleeps a sleepless night – for does the sun really sleep?
Just like the soft and subdued tones that liven up this narrative, Nayam creates a beautiful yet subtle blend of indigenous philosophy with the material and cultural realities of the larger Indian subcontinent, opening up many a window for self-reflection and contemplation.
Since his entry into the world of children’s book as an illustrator, Nayam’s work has captured many hearts and earned many awards and accolades over the years.
Asamo, is That You?, a book on monsters from lores across the Northeast, co-authored and illustrated by Ogin Nayam and Canato Jimo (best illustrator, 2024) holds the title of Book of the Year – Best Overall Design, 2022, awarded by FICCI Publishing Awards. Home, a book that captures the painful journey of refugees, authored by Fausto Aarya De Santis and illustrated by Ogin Nayam holds the title, Children’s book of the Year – English, 2022, awarded by FICCI Publishing Awards.
Both these books, along with his other illustrated books – Tine and the Faraway Mountain and We Hope – are also listed books in the Parag honour list.