NEW DELHI: As the world marks World Photography Day, India reflects on its profound relationship with the camera – a tool that has chronicled its cultural canvas, historical struggles, and everyday life for nearly two centuries.
The day, commemorating the invention of the Daguerreotype in 1839, has become more than a global observance in India. Here, photography is not only about aesthetics but also about memory, heritage, and change.
From History to Modernity
Photography entered India in the 19th century and swiftly became a medium to preserve the essence of a diverse nation – from colonial-era documentation of monuments to the electrifying images of the Independence movement. Since then, the lens has captured everything from vibrant festivals and folk traditions to pivotal political moments and everyday rural simplicity.
Icons such as Homai Vyarawalla, India’s first woman photojournalist, Raghu Rai, whose images remain synonymous with India’s visual identity, and Dayanita Singh, who blurred the lines between photography and literature, set the foundation for generations to come.
Celebrations Across India in 2025
This year, India’s cultural and artistic institutions marked World Photography Day with exhibitions, workshops, and tributes:
- Lucknow hosted the National Photo Exhibition 2025 at Kala Srot Art Gallery, featuring 180 works by 171 participants. Inaugurated by Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, the collection highlighted snapshots from Maha Kumbh 2025, IPL fervour, Muharram processions, wildlife, and landscapes. Workshops on framing, wildlife, and street photography drew large audiences.
- Lucknow University unveiled Whispers of Light, a three-day exhibition showcasing 125 images selected from 500 entries, including works by international photographers.
- Pune’s Photographic Society held a Landscape exhibition at Balgandharva Art Gallery with 120 images exploring India’s natural beauty.
- Surat’s GyanGanga Vidyalaya offered students a journey through photography’s evolution—from box cameras to SLRs – underlining its technological heritage.
- Bengaluru is gearing up for FRAMES 2025 – Panorama: Widen Your World at Chitrakala Parishath later this month, promising live contests and interactive showcases.
Courage Behind the Camera
Photography in India has never been limited to celebration – it has often meant courage. On this day, tributes poured in for photojournalists who risked their lives to capture truth. From photographers who documented the Mumbai terror attacks under fire, to those who exposed Bihar’s kidnapping industry or trekked deep into forests for wildlife encounters, their work is a reminder that images often come at immense personal risk.
This year, the global spotlight also turned to Ankit Ghosh, whose image of a Durga Puja devotee fire-spitting despite health risks was shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards and displayed at London’s Somerset House.
Shaping Contemporary Narratives
India’s new generation of photographers is pushing creative and social boundaries. Soumya Sankar Bose, winner of the Louis Roederer Discovery Award, Gauri Gill, known for her socially engaged art, Haider Khan, Sony Awards National Winner, and Kalyan Varma, wildlife storyteller and conservation filmmaker, are redefining how India is represented globally.
Meanwhile, Museo Camera in Gurugram – Asia’s largest non-profit photography museum -continues to nurture learning, housing over 2,500 cameras and archives that map India’s socio-cultural journey.
Photography for All
Digital tools and social media have democratized the medium. With smartphones in hand, millions of Indians now share their vision – turning Instagram feeds into living galleries of culture, identity, and protest. From students in small towns to celebrities like Randeep Hooda and Raveena Tandon, many have embraced photography as an extension of their storytelling.
Even India’s coastal beauty found its way into the lens this year, as photographers and travellers marked the day by showcasing the country’s most photogenic Blue Flag beaches – from Puri’s Golden Beach to the turquoise stretches of Swaraj Dweep.
The Lens as Social Change
Beyond aesthetics, photography in India has been a catalyst for dialogue – drawing attention to poverty, environmental crises, and human rights. Each frame has the power to challenge, heal, or inspire.
A Cultural and Visual Legacy
As India joins the world in celebrating World Photography Day 2025, it does so by honouring not just its photographers, but the stories they have preserved. From the grainy colonial photographs of the 1800s to today’s drone-shot landscapes, the camera has been both witness and participant in India’s journey.
In every shutter click lies a truth: India’s cultural canvas is vast, complex, and constantly evolving- and photography remains one of its most powerful narrators.
