- India's Dashawatar Gopalkrishna Bade won TPOTY 2025 for a Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage image
- TPOTY Awards 2025 received over 20,000 entries from 157 countries and 56 nationalities
- Other winners include Greece's Athanasios Maloukos and the US's Dana Allen for travel photos
India has secured a proud moment on the global travel-photography stage. The prestigious Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) Awards 2025 have announced their winners, and an evocative image from rural Maharashtra has placed an Indian photographer in the international spotlight. Dashawatar Gopalkrishna Bade has won the Single Image title in the Culture, Heritage & Beliefs category, earning acclaim for his striking portrayal of the Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage - one of Maharashtra's most deeply rooted spiritual journeys.
The annual TPOTY competition, now in its 22nd year, continues to be one of the world's most respected showcases of travel imagery, drawing entries from across the globe.
About The Travel Photographer Of The Year Awards
For over two decades, the TPOTY Awards have celebrated the finest in travel photography, attracting submissions from 157 countries. The competition is open to both amateur and professional photographers, and the 2025 winners represent 56 nationalities.
Judging is conducted anonymously, with strict rules in place. Generative AI is prohibited, and photographers must provide RAW files (or adjacent JPEGs) for final evaluation. With over 20,000 entries for the 2025 edition, a panel of international experts selected standout images across a range of categories. Prizes include cash awards, imaging software and six photography trips to Sri Lanka.
The Winning Image From India
Photo Credit: Dashawatar Gopalkrishna Bade/tpoty
Dashawatar Gopalkrishna Bade's award-winning photograph captures a moment of collective celebration during the Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage, an annual foot journey undertaken by lakhs of Warkaris. Shot from a low angle, the image highlights two men performing a traditional stick-dance set against an expansive sky, while a semicircle of fellow pilgrims claps along.
"Their clothes are smeared with mud, symbolising the earthy, devotional spirit of the journey," Bade explained. He described the wider frame as a blend of devotion, energy and cultural richness - qualities that define the millennium-old Wari tradition.
Technical details: Nikon Z9 · 35mm · f/5.6 · 1/4s · ISO 800
Sharing his excitement on Instagram, Bade wrote that he felt "overwhelmed" by the recognition and thanked friends, supporters and the TPOTY jury.
Other Major Travel Photography Winners Across The World
Overall Winner: Travel Photographer of the Year 2025 - Athanasios Maloukos, Greece
Photo Credit: Athanasios Maloukos/tpoty
Maloukos received the top honour for two bodies of work documenting ritual and movement: the solemn Holy Week processions in Zamora, Spain, and the mesmerising Sema ceremony of whirling dervishes in Konya, Turkey. Shot in low light, the series masterfully balances blur and stillness.
Travel Image of the Year - Dana Allen, US
Photo Credit: Dana Allen/tpoty
Dana Allen claimed this title with a dramatic photograph of a bull elephant shrouded in dust, its single visible eye emerging powerfully from the swirling haze.
Young Travel Photographer of the Year 2025 - Jamie Smart, UK
Photo Credit: Jamie Smart/tpoty
Jamie Smart from the United Kingdom was named Young Travel Photographer of the Year for her sensitively crafted portfolio on flying foxes, or fruit bats. Her photographs blend close, intimate scenes taken inside a zoo hospital in Beerwah, Queensland, with striking images of the bats soaring freely in the wild. The series was recognised for its thoughtful observation and its contrast between wildlife care and natural behaviour.
Portfolio Winner: Adventures & Experiences - Sara Bardotti, Italy
Photo Credit: Sara Bardotti/tpoty
Italian photographer Sara Bardotti secured the Adventures & Experiences award for her stark black-and-white portfolio capturing the demanding work of Nenet fishermen on the Siberian tundra. Her images spotlight hands, bodies and constant movement as the fishermen labour in severe sub-zero temperatures. The landscape appears harsh and almost anonymous, allowing the physical intensity and resilience of the subjects to dominate the frame.
A Strong Year For Storytelling Through Travel Photography
From India's spiritual traditions to cultural rituals across Europe and wildlife encounters in Africa, TPOTY winners for 2025 highlight the diversity of global travel stories.
