How Raghu Rai captured the soul of India through a lens for sixty years
In short: Raghu Rai was a pioneer of Indian photojournalism whose career spanned from the Beatles in Rishikesh to the aftermath of the Bhopal gas tragedy. A protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Rai documented the rapid social and political shifts of his nation, leaving behind a profound visual legacy of modern India.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, British India, Raghu Rai initially qualified as a civil engineer before discovering photography at age 23. His formal training began in 1962 under his elder brother, the photographer S Paul. By 1966, Rai had joined the staff of The Statesman in New Delhi, marking the start of a prolific career that would see his work featured in major international publications like Time, Life, and The New York Times.
Rai gained global recognition for his ability to document intense historical moments. In 1972, he received the Padma Shri for his coverage of the Bangladesh refugee crisis. Perhaps his most haunting work focused on the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy. Working with Greenpeace, he captured the disaster's immediate impact and its long-term consequences for the victims, eventually publishing the book Exposure: A Corporate Crime. These images were central to exhibitions that toured internationally after 2004, aiming to raise awareness for those still living in the contaminated environment.
Beyond his journalistic rigor, Rai produced more than 18 books exploring the cultural fabric of India, including works on Mother Teresa, the Taj Mahal, and the city of Delhi. His influence extended to the industry itself; he served on the jury for the World Press Photo from 1990 to 1997 and was nominated to join the prestigious Magnum Photos in 1977 by Henri Cartier-Bresson. Rai remained active until his death in 2026, having transitioned from film to digital photography in 2003, a medium he embraced for the remainder of his life.
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