26/07/2023
Capturing everyone from the unknown & ordinary to well-known figures like Indira Gandhi and Mother Teresa, a man who has been trained as a civil engineer has become one of the most iconic photographers of our time.
Raghu Rai was born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab in undivided India. And at the age of 23, he unexpectedly found his true calling in photography and had documented diverse facets of India since then.
The photography bug bit Rai when he picked up a camera and clicked a picture of a baby donkey. The image found its way to The Times in London, sparking his interest in photography as a career.
He documented events like the Bangladesh Liberation War and the Bhopal Gas Tragedy. His work resonated with Henri Cartier-Bresson, a photography legend, who nominated him to join the prestigious Magnum Photos. And despite the appeal of international recognition, he chose to stay in India.
Rai believes in sacrificing the mind & following intuition to create art that surpasses limitations. For him, photography is a form of religious devotion, a way of connecting with a higher power.
Throughout his journey, he kept pushing himself harder, fueled by genuine reviews and the desire to create something of equal importance in his photographs. He embraced doubt, learning, and growth while maintaining the purity of his artistic expression.
Transitioning to digital photography, Rai embraced its new possibilities, appreciating the technical quality and freedom for experimentation.
His iconic works captured the essence of events like the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and the Bangladesh Liberation War, the spirit of cities like Varanasi and Mumbai, and the depth of personalities like Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, and Indira Gandhi.
Raghu Rai's photography is not just a portrayal of events and people; it is a unique perspective, a way of seeing the world with honesty and boldness.