Skip to content Skip to navigation

‘Veerangana’ Adjudged Best Documentary Film At Cochin International Short Film Awards, 2021

By AT News |

In a heartening news, the Assamese documentary film on the country’s first female commando unit ­– ‘Veerangana’, was adjudged the Best Documentary at the Cochin International Short Film Awards, 2021. The results of the festival were announced on 8.2.2021. Produced and directed by Kishore Kalita, an advocate of Gauhati High Court, the documentary portrays the all-encompassing role of Veerangana in effectively and efficiently dealing with crime against women in Guwahati.

The critically acclaimed ‘Veerangana’ has participated and bagged a number of awards at various prestigious film festivals in India and abroad, most notably the Cine Making International Film Award 2020, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Special Festival Mention at the Indian Cine Film Festival, declared as finalist by Lift-Off Global Network, London Film Festival, official selection to Jaipur International Film Festival, Tamil Nadu Independent Film Festival, etc.

The 21-minute documentary portrays various activities of the commando unit of Assam Police and their role in effectively dealing with crime against women in Guwahati.

For years, the police force has virtually been in a perpetual war against the rising crimes committed against women that urgently necessitated drastic measures. It was high time that criminal offences against women are very severely and seriously dealt with. With that view in mind, the present Director General of Police, Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, IPS, who was the then ADGP (Training and Armed Police) in the year 2012, discussed with the then DGP of Assam, Jayanto Narayan Choudhury, on the strategies of dealing with cases of crimes against women and for making the female police force strong in Assam. With that view, some women police personnel were send to Tamil Nadu to receive training in the silent arms drill, known only to US marines, and accordingly, the Assam Police launched Veerangana, the country’s first crack female commando unit in the year 2012. The young commandos were trained in martial arts, silent drill, weapon use, motorcycle riding, horse riding, etc., at the Batallion Training Camp in Dergaon, Assam.

The Veeranganas are characterised by their belief in a strong, aggressive pursuit of crime and disorder in the society. With their keen understanding of the environment that they work in and the challenges that go with it, the Veeranganas have provided women that much more confidence to go out anywhere and anytime they want. The Veerangana unit has become a huge role-model to women in Assam and the North-East.

The documentary film ‘Veerangana’ portrays various activities of the female commando unit, complemented by interviews, still photos and clips, which should serve as an eye-opener for the public. A city-based cultural activist, Kishore Kalita made this documentary film in the fond memory of his father S.C Kalita and has dedicated it to the Assam Police. ‘Veerangana’ is written by Utpal Datta, camerawork executed by Nagen Baishya, editing is by Diganta Borah, music and sound designing is by Abhijit Barman, while Ambarish Barkataky is its colourist and subtitles are written by Prantik Deka. The title song in the documentary is rendered by popular singer Zublee Baruah.

 

 

  • 10240 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Fighting CAA in Court, Sharing Power in Govt – Where Does AGP Really Stand?

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) loves to wear the mantle of regionalism. It proudly recalls its birth from the Assam Agitation and the sacrifices of 855 martyrs. Yet every fresh controversy over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) exposes the party for what it has become: a political outfit addicted to power, reduced to theatrics whenever Assamese identity is threatened. The script is depressingly familiar. In 2019, when CAA protests shook Assam, AGP staged a high-decibel drama—ministers resigned, alliance with the BJP was declared broken, the party promised to stand with the people. Two months later, under the cover of midnight negotiations, AGP crawled back into power, its leaders...

"Lawless Country—or Lawless Citizens?”: Gemini Loriak’s Viral Video Exposes Public Hypocrisy

Arunachal Pradesh law teacher Gemini Loriak has shaken the internet with a viral classroom talk that cuts deep into India’s collective conscience. In her fiery remarks, she dismantles the stereotype of India as a “lawless country,” declaring that it is not the absence of laws but the refusal of citizens to follow them that creates chaos. Loriak points to everyday hypocrisy: bribing to bypass queues, fastening seatbelts only when police are in sight, dismissing domestic violence as a “private matter,” normalizing harassment, and celebrating VIP culture while preaching equality. Quoting the Constitution—Article 14 on Equality, Article 21 on the Right to Life with Dignity, and Article...

Child’s death at Guwahati flyover site leads to arrests of contractor firm officials

In a swift development following public outrage, Assam Police have arrested three officials of Bhartia Infra Projects Ltd (BIPL) after the tragic death of a three-year-old boy who fell into an uncovered drain at the Arya Nagar flyover construction site in Guwahati. The incident, which occurred earlier this week, triggered shock across the city and led to demands for accountability from both the company and government authorities. According to reports, the toddler, identified as Sunit Kumar, slipped into an unguarded drain within the construction zone. CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts later revealed several exposed manholes and drains left unattended at the site. The flyover work had...

A Cry for Dignity on a Sacred Day

The morning broke like any other Teachers’ Day in Assam. Classrooms across the state were filled with garlands, songs, and the eager smiles of children bowing before their teachers. But while thousands of students offered prayers and gifts, more than 9,000 tutors left their schools behind and walked instead to the Latashil playground in Guwahati. It was here, on this very day of reverence, that the tutors chose protest over celebration. With banners aloft and voices hoarse with slogans, they demanded not flowers but justice. “We have given our entire lives to teaching,” one grey-haired tutor said, his eyes moist, his voice trembling. “Today we should have been in the classroom,...

Teachers’ Association Calls New Provincialisation Law a “Teacher-Killer Act”

Guwahati, September 5: On the occasion of Teachers’ Day, the All Assam Non-Provincialised Teachers’ and Employees’ Association strongly condemned the state government for neglecting their long-standing demand for provincialisation of services. Addressing a press conference at Dispur Press Club today, the organisation’s leaders narrated the decades of hardship faced by nearly 4,500 teachers and employees who continue to serve schools and colleges without provincial status. Many of them have been working since the 1990s but remain deprived of government recognition and financial security. Association secretary Purabi Kalita Saikia termed the new provincialisation law introduced by the...

Another Life Snatched by Guwahati’s Killer Drains

Guwahati today is not just a city of chaos and waterlogging—it has turned into a death trap. Open drains and reckless construction lie in wait, ready to claim lives, while the authorities responsible look the other way. This week alone, tragedy struck twice. Four-year-old Sumit Kumar slipped into an uncovered drain near Nilachal Nagar and never returned home. Hours later, Phuljit Sharma, an elderly citizen, fell into another open drain in Kahilipara, narrowly escaping death but left seriously injured. But Sumit and Phuljit are not exceptions. They are part of a long, shameful list. In 2023, Priya Kumari, a college student, lost her life when her scooter skidded near Ganeshguri and she...

Two Labourers Electrocuted at Guwahati Flyover Site: Zero Accountability, Safety Lapses Exposed

Another tragedy has struck Guwahati’s flyover construction drive. Two labourers lost their lives and others were grievously injured after coming into contact with an 11kV overhead power line at the under-construction GNB Road flyover. One of the victims fell from the structure after being electrocuted, while others narrowly survived. Shockingly, despite repeated accidents — 2 deaths and 5 injuries in just nine months — no investigation has been launched, and no agency has accepted responsibility. The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) has washed its hands off, claiming responsibility only “up to the electricity meter.” The Chief Electrical Inspector’s office says it...

Assam Erupts in Protest: AJYCP Slams Centre’s “Foreigners till 2024” Decision

The All Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has launched a fiery protest in Guwahati, accusing the BJP-led Central government of “betraying Assam” by extending the stay of non-Muslim foreigners till December 31, 2024. According to AJYCP, this move tramples upon the Assam Accord and loads Assam with a 53-year burden of illegal migrants. Leaders warned that the Centre is turning the state into a “dumping ground” for Bangladeshis and destroying Assamese identity. “This government has insulted the memory of five martyrs of the anti-CAA movement. Instead of respecting Assam’s sacrifice, they have added ten more years to the foreigners’ burden,” thundered AJYCP president...

High Court Exposes Land Deal in Dima Hasao; AJYCP Calls Out Govt “Falsehood”

Guwahati: A storm has broken out after revelations in the Gauhati High Court that the Assam Government sold 3,000 bighas of tribal land in Dima Hasao to a private cement company at ₹2 lakh per bigha. The disclosure, made during a hearing yesterday, has drawn sharp reactions across the state. The land in question, reserved under the Sixth Schedule for tribal communities in Umrangso, was allotted to Mahabali Cement Company. Following petitions from affected parties, Justice Sanjay Kumar Medhi’s bench took a stern view, asking how such transfer of protected land could take place. The court directed the Assam Government to file an affidavit within two days, producing all related documents of...

Awareness Programme on Mental Health and Drug Abuse Held at Panbazar H.S. School, Guwahati

On 28th August 2025, Panbazar Higher Secondary School in Guwahati hosted an impactful Awareness Programme focused on mental health and drug abuse among teenage children. The event saw active participation from 60 students of Classes VI to XII, 11 school teachers, and a delegation of 15 Rotarians, demonstrating strong community collaboration. The session was led by expert resource persons Mr. Birendra Kr. Boxla and Mr. Richard Johnson Claridge from Snehalaya and Sita Centre, who addressed critical issues such as mental health challenges, peer pressure, and substance abuse dangers. They emphasized the importance of early intervention, open dialogue, and robust community support to help...