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Veteran Indian photographer Raghu Rai, considered a pioneer of photojournalism in India, died on Sunday after battling cancer for two years. He was 83.
His son said Rai was first diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago and had recovered after treatment. However, the disease later spread to his stomach and, more recently, to his brain, along with other age-related complications, reports UNB, citing NDTV.
Born on December 18, 1942, in Jhang, now in Pakistan, Rai went on to become one of the most respected photographers in India and internationally.
He began his career in the mid-1960s and later joined ‘The Statesman’as a staff photographer. In 1976, he left the newspaper to work as a freelance photographer. From 1982 to 1992, he served as Director of Photography at ‘India Today’. He was also a jury member of the World Press Photo from 1990 to 1997.
Rai was mentored by renowned French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, who was impressed by his work and recommended him for membership in Magnum Photos in 1977, one of the world’s most prestigious photography organisations.
His work is widely seen as a visual record of modern India. He captured some of the most powerful images of the Bhopal gas tragedy, one of the world’s worst industrial disasters. He also photographed prominent figures such as Mother Teresa and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Rai received several honours during his career, including the Académie des Beaux-Arts Photography Award in 2019, one of the top global recognitions in the field. In 2017, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.