A slice of India’s modern history

Punjab Arts Council and Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi is going to hold an audio visual presentation – Journey of a Moment in Time  by world-famous photographer Raghu Rai as part of the ongoing Dr. M S Randhawa Art and Literature Festival 2019.

Raghu Rai will share iconic images that are part of the memory of many generations of India’s post independence history. A selection from a body of work that he has created over the past 55 years and has shaken the conscience of many a generation will be supplemented with an equally eloquent narration for which is revered by millions of his admirers. Raghu Rai was also conferred with Punjab Gaurav Sanmaan by the Punjab Arts Council during this festival.

He is probably the only photographer in the country who has done more than 55 books on India — his homeland that he loves very deeply. Raghu Rai tirelessly continued to photograph India through the 20th century and now into the 21st. His monumental body of work of myriad themes is certainly a slice of India’s modern history because of which he has come to be known as the father of photo journalism in India. 

The photo documentation of 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy by him, and the continuing effects of the gas on the lives of the victims under a special assignment from Greenpeace International was compiled into a book. Three sets of this work travelled as exhibitions in Europe, America, Australia, India and South East Asia from 2002 to 2005. This created greater awareness about the tragedy, which brought relief to the survivors.

Besides winning many national and international awards, Rai has exhibited his works around the world. 

Some of the major exhibitions include Retrospective at Museo de Capitolini- Rome- 2005; Retrospective of his work at Arles Photography Festival–2007; Asiatica Film Mediale, Rome–2008; A Retrospective–National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi -2008 and at the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai -2008; at Aicon Gallery, London 2010; Women Changing India - Saachi Gallery, London 2011

Some of world’s most important channels have made documentaries on Raghu Rai and his creative journey as one of the top ten photographers the world has recently seen. 

A documentary on him – Raghu Rai An Unframed Portrait made by her daughter Avani Rai was shortlisted in top 10 documentaries at Interanation Documentary Films Festival Amsterdam  and has been screened in different parts of the world.  

  The audio-visual presentation by this eminent photographer Journey of a Moment in Time is on February 4, 2019 at 5.30 pm at Dr. M S Randhawa Auditorium, Punjab Kala Bhawan-16— TNS