- Veteran photographer Raghu Rai has died at 83 after battling cancer for two years
- Rai was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which later spread to his stomach and brain, his son said
- He began his career in the 1960s and was widely regarded as a pioneer of photojournalism in India
Veteran Indian photographer Raghu Rai, widely regarded as a pioneer of photojournalism in the country, died on Sunday after a two-year-long battle with cancer. He was 83.
Rai's son said that his father was first diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, but he recovered from it. Later, the cancer spread to his stomach, and he was treated again.
"Recently, the cancer spread to his brain, and then there were age-related issues too," his son told PTI.
Born on December 18, 1942, in Jhang (now in Pakistan), Rai became one of the most respected photographers not just in India but across the world. He started his career in the mid-1960s. Later, he joined The Statesman as a staff photographer.
In 1976, he left the newspaper to work independently as a freelance photographer. From 1982 to 1992, he worked with India Today as the Director of Photography. He also served as a jury member for World Press Photo between 1990 and 1997.
Photo Credit: Raghu Rai while taking photographs near the Fatehpuri Mosque in Old Delhi on January 11, 1992
Photo Credit: PTI
He was mentored by the famous French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. He was so impressed by Rai's work that he recommended him to join Magnum Photos in 1977. Magnum is one of the most prestigious photography organisations in the world, and only top photographers are invited to be part of it.
Rai's photography is often described as a "visual record" of modern India. He captured powerful images after the Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the worst industrial disasters in history. At the same time, he also took close and personal photographs of well-known personalities like Mother Teresa and Indira Gandhi.
Raghu Rai while taking photographs in Old Delhi on January 11, 1992
Photo Credit: PTI
He was known for his photography books. Some of his most popular works include Raghu Rai's India: Reflections in Colour and Reflections in Black and White.
He received the Padma Shri in 1972 for his powerful photography during the Bangladesh Liberation War. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the US.
Raghu Rai at the "Qawwali Photo Project' exhibition, in New Delhi, on November 17, 2021
Photo Credit: PTI
In 2019, he won the Académie des Beaux-Arts Photography Award, one of the top international honours in photography. He was also given a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 by India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
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