India has lost one of its most powerful visual storytellers. Raghu Rai, whose photographs captured decades of history, emotion, and change, has passed away at 83. From documenting the aftermath of the Bhopal gas tragedy to everyday life across the country, his work shaped how India saw itself and the world. His legacy lives on through timeless images that defined generations.


Acclaimed Photographer Raghu Rai Dies At 83

A photographer was reportedly killed in the US after accidentally walking into a plane propeller while clicking photos. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Photographer Killed After Accidentally Walking Into Plane Propeller

<p>"I am originally from Purulia in the Indian state of West Bengal," said&nbsp;photographer Vicky Roy as he reminisced about his humble beginnings. He started talking about his life story by sharing a big decision he made at the tender age of 11 – to run away from home.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The conditions in my family were not good," he recalled.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Driven by the belief that cities held the promise of fame and fortune, he stole money from his uncle's pocket and boarded a train to Delhi, uncertain of what lay ahead.</p>

<h2><strong>A glimmer of hope</strong></h2>

<p>Stranded at the Delhi railway station, tears streaming down his face, Vicky was approached by some ragpickers, children his own age.&nbsp;"We can be good friends," they offered. Vicky joined them in rag-picking, and later worked at a dhaba (a roadside restaurant).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Amidst this struggle, someone at the restaurant encouraged him to prioritise education over labour&nbsp;and took Vicky to the Salaam Baalak Trust in Delhi's Paharganj.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Apna Ghar," the shelter home under the trust, welcomed him into an environment where school and diverse activities transformed his outlook.</p>

<p>"There were around 50 children there, including myself. Some of those kids used to do theatre, some would attend dance classes, and some would learn Karate. While I was doing theatre,&nbsp;I realised there is not much I could do in that field."&nbsp;</p>

<p>He adapted to this new life, but it was photography that sparked his passion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite doubts about his academic background, he pursued his interest, learning the art of photography as an assistant to a Delhi photographer Anay Mann.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I started assisting him. He used to give me Rs 3000 per month as salary. After working there for two months, I took a loan of Rs 28,500 from Salaam Baalak to purchase a camera - a Nikon S80. I used to pay back Rs 500 every month to clear my loan."</p>

<h2><strong>Navigating life's challenges</strong></h2>

<p>With a meager income, Vicky faced financial hardships but remained undeterred.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Sometimes, I used to work as a waiter at weddings," he shared with WION, describing his determination to survive.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Life in a rented apartment, living with his friends, in Delhi's Mehrauli area was marked by frugality. They bought inexpensive clothes from Chor Bazar. He travelled while hiding his face on the last seat of Blueline buses, to avoid paying for a ticket.</p>

<h2><strong>Success through lens</strong></h2>

<p>In 2007, Vicky's first solo exhibition, "Street Dream," took him on a journey beyond imagination.&nbsp;Supported by the British High Commission, this exhibition propelled him onto international platforms, from London to South Africa and Vietnam.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The recognition only grew as the photographer documented the World Trade Center's reconstruction in New York.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
"New York gave me confidence as I saw a lot of Japanese and Europeans there had poor English but they work there with confidence. So, there I got the idea that if your work is good, language does not matter."</p>

<p>He was also called to London to have lunch with Prince Edward at Buckingham Palace in the UK. &nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Vicky with Prince Edward " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2571393e-6aa3-4510-b244-1a56a09bbfd4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-08-19%20at%208.46.15%20PM.jpeg" /></p>

<p>He was awarded the MIT Media Fellowship in 2014. Because of his Ink Talk fellowship, he was taken for talks to Harvard University, Facebook headquarter, Google headquarters, Pentagon, and World Bank.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Vicky in US" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2c5898e2-04f0-4785-b9da-5f0896d45cd1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-08-19%20at%208.46.15%20PM%20%281%29.jpeg" /></p>

<p>He was also listed as Forbes Asia's 30 under 30 in 2016. "My first monograph ‘Home Street Home’, published by the Nazar Foundation (New Delhi, India) was released at the second edition of the Delhi Photo Festival (Sept-Oct, 2013)," Roy shares with glee.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Essence of giving back</strong></h2>

<p>He engaged in projects for societal benefit through his photography.&nbsp;His German friend built a skate park in Madhya Pradesh and he donated his artwork during its construction and frequently visited for shoots.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2016, learning about water scarcity in Bundelkhand during summers, he and his friend, then raised Rs 8 lakh by selling the photos of that very skate park.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Water tap" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6b22bbe0-ca66-4926-bf33-5fb1b630a0a8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-08-19%20at%208.47.02%20PM%20%281%29.jpeg" /></p>

<p>He also assisted a family near Jama Masjid. "One of my friends called and asked if he could help to get the family a rented house. So the family said that they were originally from Rajasthan's Dholpur area and asked to help them in opening a grocery shop so that we could go back. My friend contributed Rs 50,000 and I spent Rs 15,000 to arrange that."&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="Grocery store" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1625dff-172f-4baf-962d-33207b26b193" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WhatsApp%20Image%202023-08-19%20at%208.46.15%20PM%20%282%29.jpeg" /></p>

<h2><strong>Empowering diverse voices</strong></h2>

<p>With his heart firmly set on inclusivity, Vicky embarked on a new endeavor called "Everyone is Good at Something", a platform which celebrated disable people. Traveling across India, he is capturing the journeys of differently-abled individuals, showcasing their stories through his lens.&nbsp;From runaway child to celebrated photographer, his journey mirrors the beauty of capturing life's moments through the lens of unwavering passion.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


"I am originally from Purulia in the Indian state of West Bengal," said photographer Vicky Roy as he reminisced about his humble beginnings. He started talking about his life story by sharing a big decision he made at the tender age of 11 – to run away from home.

"I am originally from Purulia in the Indian state of West Bengal," said photographer Vicky Roy as he reminisced about his humble beginnings. He started talking about his life story by sharing a big decision he made at the tender age of 11 – to run away from home. "The conditions in my family were not good," he recalled. Driven by the belief that cities held the promise of fame and fortune, he stole money from his uncle's pocket and boarded a train to Delhi, uncertain of what lay ahead. A glimmer of hope Stranded at the Delhi railway station, tears streaming down his face, Vicky was approached by some ragpickers, children his own age. "We can be good friends," they offered. Vicky joined them in rag-picking, and later worked at a dhaba (a roadside restaurant). Amidst this struggle, someone at the restaurant encouraged him to prioritise education over labour and took Vicky to the Salaam Baalak Trust in Delhi's Paharganj. "Apna Ghar," the shelter home under the trust, welcomed him into an environment where school and diverse activities transformed his outlook. "There were around 50 children there, including myself. Some of those kids used to do theatre, some would attend dance classes, and some would learn Karate. While I was doing theatre, I realised there is not much I could do in that field." He adapted to this new life, but it was photography that sparked his passion. Despite doubts about his academic background, he pursued his interest, learning the art of photography as an assistant to a Delhi photographer Anay Mann. "I started assisting him. He used to give me Rs 3000 per month as salary. After working there for two months, I took a loan of Rs 28,500 from Salaam Baalak to purchase a camera - a Nikon S80. I used to pay back Rs 500 every month to clear my loan." Navigating life's challenges With a meager income, Vicky faced financial hardships but remained undeterred. "Sometimes, I used to work as a waiter at weddings," he shared with WION, describing his determination to survive. Life in a rented apartment, living with his friends, in Delhi's Mehrauli area was marked by frugality. They bought inexpensive clothes from Chor Bazar. He travelled while hiding his face on the last seat of Blueline buses, to avoid paying for a ticket. Success through lens In 2007, Vicky's first solo exhibition, "Street Dream," took him on a journey beyond imagination. Supported by the British High Commission, this exhibition propelled him onto international platforms, from London to South Africa and Vietnam. The recognition only grew as the photographer documented the World Trade Center's reconstruction in New York. "New York gave me confidence as I saw a lot of Japanese and Europeans there had poor English but they work there with confidence. So, there I got the idea that if your work is good, language does not matter." He was also called to London to have lunch with Prince Edward at Buckingham Palace in the UK. He was awarded the MIT Media Fellowship in 2014. Because of his Ink Talk fellowship, he was taken for talks to Harvard University, Facebook headquarter, Google headquarters, Pentagon, and World Bank. He was also listed as Forbes Asia's 30 under 30 in 2016. "My first monograph ‘Home Street Home’, published by the Nazar Foundation (New Delhi, India) was released at the second edition of the Delhi Photo Festival (Sept-Oct, 2013)," Roy shares with glee. Essence of giving back He engaged in projects for societal benefit through his photography. His German friend built a skate park in Madhya Pradesh and he donated his artwork during its construction and frequently visited for shoots. In 2016, learning about water scarcity in Bundelkhand during summers, he and his friend, then raised Rs 8 lakh by selling the photos of that very skate park. He also assisted a family near Jama Masjid. "One of my friends called and asked if he could help to get the family a rented house. So the family said that they were originally from Rajasthan's Dholpur area and asked to help them in opening a grocery shop so that we could go back. My friend contributed Rs 50,000 and I spent Rs 15,000 to arrange that." Empowering diverse voices With his heart firmly set on inclusivity, Vicky embarked on a new endeavor called "Everyone is Good at Something", a platform which celebrated disable people. Traveling across India, he is capturing the journeys of differently-abled individuals, showcasing their stories through his lens. From runaway child to celebrated photographer, his journey mirrors the beauty of capturing life's moments through the lens of unwavering passion. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

From a tearful runaway child in Delhi to capturing dreams: The journey of photographer Vicky Roy

In Pics | Rare pink grasshopper spotted in UK

In Pics | Milky Way Photographer of the Year

<p>British music photographer Mick Rock, whose iconic images of artists including David Bowie and the Sex Pistols earned him the nickname 'the man who shot the 70s', has died aged 72, his family said Friday.</p>

<p>"It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share our beloved psychedelic renegade Mick Rock has made the Jungian journey to the other side," his family said in a message posted on his Twitter page.</p>

<p>"He was a photographic poet -- a true force of nature who spent his days doing exactly what he loved, always in his own delightfully outrageous way. "He was a mythical creature; the likes of which we shall never experience again."</p>

<p>Johnny Marr, the guitarist with British indie group The Smiths, tweeted "Goodbye for now my friend and comrade Mick Rock. The visionary poet," along with a picture of the pair.</p>

<p>Rock was born in west London in 1948 and graduated from the prestigious Cambridge University with a degree in Medieval and Modern Languages.</p>

<p>He developed an interest in photography while at university, shooting local gigs. Rock went on to create album covers for US rock legends Lou Reed and Iggy Pop along with country star Waylon Jennings.</p>

<p>Other subjects included rapper Snoop Dogg, Daft Punk, Debbie Harry, Ozzie Osbourne and close friend David Bowie. Queen's iconic video for Bohemian Rhapsody was a recreation of a photograph he took of the band.</p>


British music photographer Mick Rock, whose iconic images of artists including David Bowie and the Sex Pistols earned him the nickname 'the man who shot the 70s', has died aged 72, his family said Friday.

British music photographer Mick Rock, whose iconic images of artists including David Bowie and the Sex Pistols earned him the nickname 'the man who shot the 70s', has died aged 72, his family said Friday. "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share our beloved psychedelic renegade Mick Rock has made the Jungian journey to the other side," his family said in a message posted on his Twitter page. "He was a photographic poet -- a true force of nature who spent his days doing exactly what he loved, always in his own delightfully outrageous way. "He was a mythical creature; the likes of which we shall never experience again." Johnny Marr, the guitarist with British indie group The Smiths, tweeted "Goodbye for now my friend and comrade Mick Rock. The visionary poet," along with a picture of the pair. Rock was born in west London in 1948 and graduated from the prestigious Cambridge University with a degree in Medieval and Modern Languages. He developed an interest in photography while at university, shooting local gigs. Rock went on to create album covers for US rock legends Lou Reed and Iggy Pop along with country star Waylon Jennings. Other subjects included rapper Snoop Dogg, Daft Punk, Debbie Harry, Ozzie Osbourne and close friend David Bowie. Queen's iconic video for Bohemian Rhapsody was a recreation of a photograph he took of the band.

Photographer Mick Rock, whose images helped define 70s rock, dies at 72

<p>The American company Eastman Kodak has deleted an Instagram post featuring images of Xinjiang, a western Chinese region where the government is accused of grave human rights violations, after an online backlash from Beijing’s supporters.</p>

<p>The post was promoting the work of French photographer Patrick Wack, who made several trips to Xinjiang in recent years and has collected his images into a book. The project received a lift last week when Kodak shared 10 of his images — all shot on Kodak film — with its 839,000 Instagram followers.</p>

<p>In the Kodak post and on his own Instagram account, Wack described his images as a visual narrative of Xinjiang’s “abrupt descent into an Orwellian dystopia” over the past five years. That did not sit well with Chinese social media users, who often object vociferously to Western criticism of Chinese government policies. In addition to deleting the post, Kodak apologized for “any misunderstanding or offense” that it might have caused.</p>

<p>Kodak is not the first international company to apologize for perceived transgressions over Xinjiang, where Western politicians and rights groups say that Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups have been subjected to forced labor and genocide by the Chinese government.</p>

<p>Now Kodak is facing criticism online not only from Chinese social media users but also from people in the West who still see its products as the industry gold standard for analog photography.</p>

<p>“A company working in photography should not have been afraid to take a stand on a project that’s so important for human rights,” said Ariane Kovalevsky, the Paris-based director of Inland Stories, an international cooperative of 11 documentary photographers, including Wack.</p>

<p>Wack, 42, said that Kodak’s decision was notable in part because its products have been used for decades to document political events.</p>

<p>“So for them, one of the main actors historically in photography, to say they don’t want to be political is what’s upsetting so many people,” said Wack, who lived in China for 11 years and is now based in Berlin.</p>

<p>Wack grew up outside Paris and has taken pictures on assignment for The New York Times and many other Western publications. His book, “Dust,” will be released in October by André Frère Éditions, a publisher in the French city of Marseille.</p>

<p>The book includes photographs he took in Xinjiang from 2016-19, along with essays by academic experts on the region and by journalist Brice Pedroletti, the former China bureau chief for French newspaper Le Monde. Many of the pictures show construction sites amid muted, dusty landscapes; Wack has said that the book captures the “uneasy” relationship between local residents and settlers from China’s majority Han ethnic group.</p>

<p>The first part of the book is based on analog pictures from 2016 and 2017 and drawn from “Out West,” a series in which Wack tries to draw visual parallels between the Chinese government’s settlement of Xinjiang and the westward expansion of the United States.</p>

<p>“I wanted to make a parallel between the founding American mythology — the 19th-century mythology of the conquest of the West — with all the dreams it carries for those settlers and all the despair and mystery it brought to all the natives,” Wack said in an interview.</p>

<p>Wack said that he was initially approached by a social media manager from Kodak who was enthusiastic about his work — and who later apologized after the company Instagram post about him was removed, saying the decision had been made by upper management. Eastman Kodak did not respond to requests for comment during the Asia business day Wednesday.</p>

<p>Wack’s Instagram post for Kodak said that the Xinjiang region had “been in recent years at the center of an international outcry following the mass incarceration of its Uyghur population and other Muslim minorities.”</p>

<p>In the post that Kodak uploaded this week to replace Wack’s photos and commentary, the company said that its Instagram page was designed to “enable creativity by providing a platform for promoting the medium of film,” not to be a “platform for political commentary.”</p>

<p>On its Chinese-language website, Kodak said in a statement that it had identified a “supervision loophole” in its content production that it promised to “review and correct.”</p>

<p>Global Times, a Chinese state-run tabloid, said in an article Wednesday about Kodak’s decision that some companies and individuals were catering to “the Western demand to demonize Xinjiang” for publicity and financial gain.</p>

<p>Corporate records show that Kodak China has five companies registered in mainland China, all of them linked to a holding company in Hong Kong.</p>

<p>On the Twitter-like Chinese platform Sina Weibo, some users asked this week why such an “ancient” U.S. brand was posting about China. Others said that Wack’s criticism of the Chinese government’s mass-incarceration policies in Xinjiang was at odds with his benign-looking landscape photography.</p>

<p>“Xinjiang is so beautiful, but Kodak tries to stealthily slip in its own bias to get attention,” read the headline of an article on Guancha.com, a nationalistic news site, that was shared on Weibo by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League.</p>

<p>Wack said Wednesday that the landscapes were made partly for aesthetic reasons but also practical ones: He was heavily surveilled by authorities during his trips to Xinjiang and would not have been able to photograph arrests, internment camps or other obvious signs of repression.</p>

<p>“The only thing you can photograph is the grim atmosphere and the change in the landscape,” he said.</p>

<p>“That’s what the book is about: showing how in only a few years the region radically changed and became another world,” he added. “In 2016 it was still full of colors: You had golden domes and Muslim symbols everywhere and women wearing veils. In 2019, all of this had disappeared.”</p>


The American company Eastman Kodak has deleted an Instagram post featuring images of Xinjiang, a western Chinese region where the government is accused of grave human rights violations, after an online backlash from Beijing’s supporters.

The American company Eastman Kodak has deleted an Instagram post featuring images of Xinjiang, a western Chinese region where the government is accused of grave human rights violations, after an online backlash from Beijing’s supporters. The post was promoting the work of French photographer Patrick Wack, who made several trips to Xinjiang in recent years and has collected his images into a book. The project received a lift last week when Kodak shared 10 of his images — all shot on Kodak film — with its 839,000 Instagram followers. In the Kodak post and on his own Instagram account, Wack described his images as a visual narrative of Xinjiang’s “abrupt descent into an Orwellian dystopia” over the past five years. That did not sit well with Chinese social media users, who often object vociferously to Western criticism of Chinese government policies. In addition to deleting the post, Kodak apologized for “any misunderstanding or offense” that it might have caused. Kodak is not the first international company to apologize for perceived transgressions over Xinjiang, where Western politicians and rights groups say that Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups have been subjected to forced labor and genocide by the Chinese government. Now Kodak is facing criticism online not only from Chinese social media users but also from people in the West who still see its products as the industry gold standard for analog photography. “A company working in photography should not have been afraid to take a stand on a project that’s so important for human rights,” said Ariane Kovalevsky, the Paris-based director of Inland Stories, an international cooperative of 11 documentary photographers, including Wack. Wack, 42, said that Kodak’s decision was notable in part because its products have been used for decades to document political events. “So for them, one of the main actors historically in photography, to say they don’t want to be political is what’s upsetting so many people,” said Wack, who lived in China for 11 years and is now based in Berlin. Wack grew up outside Paris and has taken pictures on assignment for The New York Times and many other Western publications. His book, “Dust,” will be released in October by André Frère Éditions, a publisher in the French city of Marseille. The book includes photographs he took in Xinjiang from 2016-19, along with essays by academic experts on the region and by journalist Brice Pedroletti, the former China bureau chief for French newspaper Le Monde. Many of the pictures show construction sites amid muted, dusty landscapes; Wack has said that the book captures the “uneasy” relationship between local residents and settlers from China’s majority Han ethnic group. The first part of the book is based on analog pictures from 2016 and 2017 and drawn from “Out West,” a series in which Wack tries to draw visual parallels between the Chinese government’s settlement of Xinjiang and the westward expansion of the United States. “I wanted to make a parallel between the founding American mythology — the 19th-century mythology of the conquest of the West — with all the dreams it carries for those settlers and all the despair and mystery it brought to all the natives,” Wack said in an interview. Wack said that he was initially approached by a social media manager from Kodak who was enthusiastic about his work — and who later apologized after the company Instagram post about him was removed, saying the decision had been made by upper management. Eastman Kodak did not respond to requests for comment during the Asia business day Wednesday. Wack’s Instagram post for Kodak said that the Xinjiang region had “been in recent years at the center of an international outcry following the mass incarceration of its Uyghur population and other Muslim minorities.” In the post that Kodak uploaded this week to replace Wack’s photos and commentary, the company said that its Instagram page was designed to “enable creativity by providing a platform for promoting the medium of film,” not to be a “platform for political commentary.” On its Chinese-language website, Kodak said in a statement that it had identified a “supervision loophole” in its content production that it promised to “review and correct.” Global Times, a Chinese state-run tabloid, said in an article Wednesday about Kodak’s decision that some companies and individuals were catering to “the Western demand to demonize Xinjiang” for publicity and financial gain. Corporate records show that Kodak China has five companies registered in mainland China, all of them linked to a holding company in Hong Kong. On the Twitter-like Chinese platform Sina Weibo, some users asked this week why such an “ancient” U.S. brand was posting about China. Others said that Wack’s criticism of the Chinese government’s mass-incarceration policies in Xinjiang was at odds with his benign-looking landscape photography. “Xinjiang is so beautiful, but Kodak tries to stealthily slip in its own bias to get attention,” read the headline of an article on Guancha.com, a nationalistic news site, that was shared on Weibo by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League. Wack said Wednesday that the landscapes were made partly for aesthetic reasons but also practical ones: He was heavily surveilled by authorities during his trips to Xinjiang and would not have been able to photograph arrests, internment camps or other obvious signs of repression. “The only thing you can photograph is the grim atmosphere and the change in the landscape,” he said. “That’s what the book is about: showing how in only a few years the region radically changed and became another world,” he added. “In 2016 it was still full of colors: You had golden domes and Muslim symbols everywhere and women wearing veils. In 2019, all of this had disappeared.”

Kodak deletes post by photographer who called Xinjiang an ‘Orwellian dystopia’

<p>An award-winning Syrian photojournalist, who was wounded in a Paris protest against police brutality said on Sunday that his ordeal reminded him of the civil war in his home country.</p>

<p>Ameer al-Halbi, a freelance photographer who has previously worked for AFP, was trapped for several hours after getting hurt. He was unable to go to hospital despite receiving head wounds.</p>

<p>AFP quoted a police source tp say that an internal administrative inquiry had been opened to determine the circumstances under which al-Halbi was hurt in the protests.</p>

<p>"I am better this morning," said al-Halbi, who won several international awards for his coverage of the Syrian conflict in his home city of Aleppo for AFP.</p>

<p>"But the shock was very heavy, especially yesterday when I found myself wounded, bleeding heavily in my face and stuck for two hours in the demonstration -- wedged between demonstrators and the police who did not want to let us out to get to hospital," he told AFP.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/france-protesters-clash-with-police-over-global-security-law-346230/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>"Images of Syria surged back into my head... I was aged 15 when I found myself blocked in a demonstration in Aleppo, wounded by two bullets in my hand. It was Aleppo that came back to me last (Saturday) night."</p>

<p>He said that when police had began a charge to disperse the crowds in Paris he was in a group of four to five photographers who were "clearly recognisable" as such.</p>

<p>Al-Halbi, who has also worked for Polka magazine, was seen with a bruised face and much of his head covered in bandages in AFP photos.</p>

<p>Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, tweeted that the 24-year-old had been wounded at Place de la Bastille by "a police baton".</p>

<p>Polka Magazine and AFP both condemned the incident in statements Sunday.</p>

<p>"We are shocked by the injuries suffered by our colleague Ameer al-Halbi and condemn the unprovoked violence," said Phil Chetwynd, AFP's global news director, demanding that the police investigate the incident.</p>

<p>A statement from Polka magazine also condemned the "police aggression" against Alhalbi.</p>

<p>The magazine's Director of Publication Alain Genestar said the incident was "all the more shocking and reprehensible" because he was clearly identified as a press photographer.</p>

<p>Al-Halbi won second prize in the "Spot News" category for the World Press Photo in 2017.</p>

<p><strong>(With AFP inputs)</strong></p>


An award-winning Syrian photojournalist, who was wounded in a Paris protest against police brutality said on Sunday that his ordeal reminded him of the civil war in his home country.

An award-winning Syrian photojournalist, who was wounded in a Paris protest against police brutality said on Sunday that his ordeal reminded him of the civil war in his home country. Ameer al-Halbi, a freelance photographer who has previously worked for AFP, was trapped for several hours after getting hurt. He was unable to go to hospital despite receiving head wounds. AFP quoted a police source tp say that an internal administrative inquiry had been opened to determine the circumstances under which al-Halbi was hurt in the protests. "I am better this morning," said al-Halbi, who won several international awards for his coverage of the Syrian conflict in his home city of Aleppo for AFP. "But the shock was very heavy, especially yesterday when I found myself wounded, bleeding heavily in my face and stuck for two hours in the demonstration -- wedged between demonstrators and the police who did not want to let us out to get to hospital," he told AFP. × "Images of Syria surged back into my head... I was aged 15 when I found myself blocked in a demonstration in Aleppo, wounded by two bullets in my hand. It was Aleppo that came back to me last (Saturday) night." He said that when police had began a charge to disperse the crowds in Paris he was in a group of four to five photographers who were "clearly recognisable" as such. Al-Halbi, who has also worked for Polka magazine, was seen with a bruised face and much of his head covered in bandages in AFP photos. Christophe Deloire, secretary general of Reporters Without Borders, tweeted that the 24-year-old had been wounded at Place de la Bastille by "a police baton". Polka Magazine and AFP both condemned the incident in statements Sunday. "We are shocked by the injuries suffered by our colleague Ameer al-Halbi and condemn the unprovoked violence," said Phil Chetwynd, AFP's global news director, demanding that the police investigate the incident. A statement from Polka magazine also condemned the "police aggression" against Alhalbi. The magazine's Director of Publication Alain Genestar said the incident was "all the more shocking and reprehensible" because he was clearly identified as a press photographer. Al-Halbi won second prize in the "Spot News" category for the World Press Photo in 2017. (With AFP inputs)

Paris: Wounded photographer says protests brought back Syria memories

Lumix's People's Choice Awards 2019 - Wildlife Photographer of the Year  People's Favourites

<p>A British photographer kidnapped by the Islamic State group more than six years ago could still be alive and in captivity, media reports said on Tuesday citing Britain's Security Minister Ben Wallace.</p>

<p>"Wallace told reporters in London that the British government believes (John) Cantlie is still being held by ISIS," CNN reported, using another name for the jihadist group (IS).</p>

<p>The reports said Wallace did not provide any evidence.</p>

<p>A tweet on an account used by Cantlie's family said: "We are aware of the current news circulating that John Cantlie is alive, whilst this is not substantiated at present, we continue to hope and pray that this turns out to be true".</p>

<p>Cantlie was captured first in July 2012 but escaped with help from the Free Syrian Army. He was kidnapped again in Syria along with US reporter James Foley in November 2012.</p>

<p>Foley became the first of a string of foreign hostages to be slain in propaganda videos.</p>

<p>Cantlie, however, appeared in several subsequent videos released by IS in which he delivered jihadist propaganda to the camera in the style of a news report.</p>

<p>His last appearance was in a video shot during the battle for Mosul in 2016 in which he looked very gaunt and tired.</p>

<p>Cantlie is the last remaining British hostage held by IS.</p>


A British photographer kidnapped by the Islamic State group more than six years ago could still be alive and in captivity, media reports said on Tuesday citing Britain's Security Minister Ben Wallace.

A British photographer kidnapped by the Islamic State group more than six years ago could still be alive and in captivity, media reports said on Tuesday citing Britain's Security Minister Ben Wallace. "Wallace told reporters in London that the British government believes (John) Cantlie is still being held by ISIS," CNN reported, using another name for the jihadist group (IS). The reports said Wallace did not provide any evidence. A tweet on an account used by Cantlie's family said: "We are aware of the current news circulating that John Cantlie is alive, whilst this is not substantiated at present, we continue to hope and pray that this turns out to be true". Cantlie was captured first in July 2012 but escaped with help from the Free Syrian Army. He was kidnapped again in Syria along with US reporter James Foley in November 2012. Foley became the first of a string of foreign hostages to be slain in propaganda videos. Cantlie, however, appeared in several subsequent videos released by IS in which he delivered jihadist propaganda to the camera in the style of a news report. His last appearance was in a video shot during the battle for Mosul in 2016 in which he looked very gaunt and tired. Cantlie is the last remaining British hostage held by IS.

UK believes photographer held by IS still alive: Reports

<p>Bangladesh's High Court issued a notice to the government on Sunday asking it to justify why a prominent social activist should not be granted bail, in a case widely seen as a test for freedom of speech.</p>

<p>Shahidul Alam, an award-winning photographer, was detained in August on suspicion of spreading "propaganda and false information" during widespread student protests.</p>

<p>He was picked up from his home hours after giving an interview to Al Jazeera, in which he accused the government of extrajudicial killings and corruption - accusations the government dismissed.</p>

<p>The 63-year-old had also posted comments on social media saying that a student wing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling party was trying to attack the protesters - accusations that were also denied.</p>

<p>The High Court on Sunday heard Alam's appeal against the decision of a lower court to deny him bail last month. It issued the notice to the government and asked it to reply within a week, Alam's lawyer Shahdeen Malik told Reuters after the hearing.</p>

<p>Bangladesh's Attorney General Mahbubey Alam appeared in court on behalf of the government and said bail would hamper the on-going investigation.</p>

<p>Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's founder and first President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is facing national elections in December.</p>


Bangladesh's High Court issued a notice to the government on Sunday asking it to justify why a prominent social activist should not be granted bail, in a case widely seen as a test for freedom of speech.

Bangladesh's High Court issued a notice to the government on Sunday asking it to justify why a prominent social activist should not be granted bail, in a case widely seen as a test for freedom of speech. Shahidul Alam, an award-winning photographer, was detained in August on suspicion of spreading "propaganda and false information" during widespread student protests. He was picked up from his home hours after giving an interview to Al Jazeera, in which he accused the government of extrajudicial killings and corruption - accusations the government dismissed. The 63-year-old had also posted comments on social media saying that a student wing of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling party was trying to attack the protesters - accusations that were also denied. The High Court on Sunday heard Alam's appeal against the decision of a lower court to deny him bail last month. It issued the notice to the government and asked it to reply within a week, Alam's lawyer Shahdeen Malik told Reuters after the hearing. Bangladesh's Attorney General Mahbubey Alam appeared in court on behalf of the government and said bail would hamper the on-going investigation. Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's founder and first President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is facing national elections in December.

Bangladesh court asks government why jailed photographer should not get bail

<p>Living the fantasy of Britain`s royal wedding, American kids dressed up as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for a photoshoot on a budget and schedule that wedding planners can only dream of.</p>

<p>Tricia Messeroux, a New York photographer, has been capturing children in red carpet looks from the Oscars, Grammy and Golden Globe award ceremonies, and blockbuster movies ever since her idea of dressing up her daughter as a celebrity in 2008 gave birth to Toddlewood Studio in Baldwin, New York.</p>

<p>The biggest wedding of the year inspired her to recreate the cast, including Markle`s mother Doria Ragland, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Bishop Michael Bruce Curry and cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason.</p>

<p>As the bride, Naiyah Otero, 7, wore a version of Markle`s boat-necked Givenchy wedding gown as interpreted by Esaie Couture.</p>

<p>"I think she`s pretty and it`s an honour to marry Prince Harry, like, dress up as her," Otero said at the photo shoot on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Andrew Robert Joy, 6, embodied bearded Prince Harry with the help of eyebrow pencil on his smooth jawline that matched his close-cropped red hair.</p>

<p>Messeroux and her team give themselves only 48 hours to mimic the looks and set design for her big annual project.</p>

<p>"We had to spend all night creating this flower wall as best we possibly could," Messeroux said. "And the gown for the priest, I literally glued that myself. Yes, I glued a whole gown together myself, with my friends, overnight last night."</p>

<p>"Hopefully, it`s going to look good and hopefully nobody can tell but we`ll see," she said.</p>


Tricia Messeroux, a New York photographer, has been capturing the recreated royal wedding photoshoot done by children

Living the fantasy of Britain`s royal wedding, American kids dressed up as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for a photoshoot on a budget and schedule that wedding planners can only dream of. Tricia Messeroux, a New York photographer, has been capturing children in red carpet looks from the Oscars, Grammy and Golden Globe award ceremonies, and blockbuster movies ever since her idea of dressing up her daughter as a celebrity in 2008 gave birth to Toddlewood Studio in Baldwin, New York. The biggest wedding of the year inspired her to recreate the cast, including Markle`s mother Doria Ragland, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Bishop Michael Bruce Curry and cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason. As the bride, Naiyah Otero, 7, wore a version of Markle`s boat-necked Givenchy wedding gown as interpreted by Esaie Couture. "I think she`s pretty and it`s an honour to marry Prince Harry, like, dress up as her," Otero said at the photo shoot on Tuesday. Andrew Robert Joy, 6, embodied bearded Prince Harry with the help of eyebrow pencil on his smooth jawline that matched his close-cropped red hair. Messeroux and her team give themselves only 48 hours to mimic the looks and set design for her big annual project. "We had to spend all night creating this flower wall as best we possibly could," Messeroux said. "And the gown for the priest, I literally glued that myself. Yes, I glued a whole gown together myself, with my friends, overnight last night." "Hopefully, it`s going to look good and hopefully nobody can tell but we`ll see," she said.

American kids recreate royal wedding for a photoshoot

<p>Police kept a hawk-eyed vigil on west Delhi&#39;s Khayala area which was gripped by tension after a 23-year-old man was stabbed to death by the family members of a woman with whom he was in a relationship.<br />
<br />
Ankit Saxena, a professional photographer, was killed on Thursday night in the area. The woman&#39;s family opposed her relationship with Saxena as the two belonged to different communities.<br />
<br />
Four persons, including the brother of the woman, were nabbed a few hours after Saxena was stabbed to death by them.<br />
<br />
&quot;Three accused -- the mother, father and uncle of the woman -- have been sent to judicial custody. Her minor brother has been sent to the juvenile home,&quot; a senior police officer said.<br />
<br />
The woman claimed a threat to her life and was sent to Nari Niketan. The family of the deceased has been given security, police said.<br />
<br />
Local residents claimed the killing was not a fallout of Saxena being in an interfaith relationship.<br />
<br />
A friend of Saxena said &quot;news reports suggesting a communal angle in the incident are wrong&quot;.<br />
<br />
Delhi BJP Manoj Tiwari who met the parents of the photographer said the incident should not be given a communal angle.<br />
<br />
He demanded that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal break his &quot;silence&quot; over the killing and announce a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the family.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Ankit Saxena was stabbed multiple times brutally in his neck on Thursday

Police kept a hawk-eyed vigil on west Delhi's Khayala area which was gripped by tension after a 23-year-old man was stabbed to death by the family members of a woman with whom he was in a relationship. Ankit Saxena, a professional photographer, was killed on Thursday night in the area. The woman's family opposed her relationship with Saxena as the two belonged to different communities. Four persons, including the brother of the woman, were nabbed a few hours after Saxena was stabbed to death by them. "Three accused -- the mother, father and uncle of the woman -- have been sent to judicial custody. Her minor brother has been sent to the juvenile home," a senior police officer said. The woman claimed a threat to her life and was sent to Nari Niketan. The family of the deceased has been given security, police said. Local residents claimed the killing was not a fallout of Saxena being in an interfaith relationship. A friend of Saxena said "news reports suggesting a communal angle in the incident are wrong". Delhi BJP Manoj Tiwari who met the parents of the photographer said the incident should not be given a communal angle. He demanded that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal break his "silence" over the killing and announce a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the family.

Ankit Saxena murder: Delhi's Khyala area remains tense

<p>&ldquo;My life is very different from your life&rdquo;, says Aishwarya, a <em>hijra</em> who survives on money collected by intimidating people at traffic lights and in public parks. Aishwarya is easily distinguishable from the swarm of beggars who wait eagerly at the signals every day. Clad in shades of reds and pinks, with a large bindi on her forehead and kohl smeared eyes, she stands out (not always in a positive way though).</p>

<p>She explains, &ldquo;I know they (public) mock me, most of them shrug me off but it&rsquo;s okay. It&rsquo;s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night.&rdquo;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Aishwarya lives in Palam in northwest Delhi, a cold locality that looks like a cobweb of <em>gullies</em>, uninhabitable to a stranger&rsquo;s eye but is home to many like her. She (as she likes to be identified as a woman) is one among many others from the <em>hijra </em>community that mostly feels at odd with the society. Living under the constant scrutiny of the public eye, they feel vulnerable in their own skin.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>I know they mock me, most of them shrug me off but it&rsquo;s okay. It&rsquo;s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=I know they mock me, most of them shrug me off but it?s okay. It?s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>The term &lsquo;<em>hijra</em>&rsquo; is widely used in South Asia and refers to the transsexual and transgender community. It is derived from Semitic Arabic hjr meaning &lsquo;leaving one&rsquo;s tribe&rsquo; (understood literally as deflecting from the society&rsquo;s conventions of the body, sex and sexuality). Most members of the community identify themselves as men born with souls of women and owing to their openness about their sexual orientation face marginalisation in every aspect of life.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Guided with an ambition to tell stories of the <em>hijra</em> community, Shahria Sharmin, a photographer from Bangladesh is capturing their emotions and vulnerabilities for the world to see. In an exclusive conversation with Shahria, where she opens up about developing a strong bond with the <em>hijra</em> community, breaking prejudices and the time-consuming process of taking artistically challenging photographs. &nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(2)-20170801073256.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>They feel vulnerable in their own skin but are proud of their own bodies, not ashamed like most of us think (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Shahria narrates her first encounter with the subjects of the photo series titled Call Me Heena: &ldquo;I have never really physically experienced how it feels to be a part of an actual minority group. I grew up in Bangladesh, as a woman. Sure there are limitations and restrictions which I had abided by but what real struggle can be, when the question of identity and emotions come into the picture, is something I had wondered about and working with the <em>hijra</em> community came from that general curiosity.</p>

<p>&quot;When I started working with the community, after hearing hundreds of stories, similar or otherwise, it became apparent, this is the community which I wanted to focus on and learn about. I also hoped to photograph in a way which represents them as an individual without the obvious superficial biases. That hope and curiosity helped me pursue my project.&rdquo;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Interestingly hijras are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Interestingly hijras are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>Belonging from Bangladesh, Shahria, did not always want&nbsp;to be a photographer. She pursued an education in Public Administration from the University of Dhaka and while studying, in several instances she recognised the art of photography. She felt that the medium &ldquo;enables to tell stories and explore humanity&rdquo;.</p>

<p>She thus knew that she &ldquo;had found her path&rdquo;.</p>

<p>She then graduated in photography from Pathshala South Asian Media Academy, Bangladesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the early years of her life, she had seen her father taking family photographs. It became a thing in the family for her to take photographs keeping her &quot;two daughters in focal points&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shahria says, &ldquo;Years later I found myself fascinated with movies. The frames of the films that I studied intrigued me and I wanted to go deeper into the dynamics of frames. Slowly I found that as I move my lens towards a new face, I discover an astonishing new world and that is when I fell in love with photography more deeply and got into the journey of discovering new worlds.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Fascinated with the world of photographs and narrator&rsquo;s story behind each photo, she did a three years photography course at Pathshala South Asian Media Institute. While studying she had to choose a photography project where she chose to work with Bangladesh&rsquo;s famed garments factory workers. This changed her life in a way.&nbsp;</p>

<p><b>The stigma of expressing one&#39;s sexuality</b></p>

<p>Shahria remembers that while approaching her project honestly, she stumbled upon the <em>hijra</em> community of Bangladesh.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>One day I was taking a walk with her and she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=One day I was taking a walk with her and she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me. " target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>She says, &ldquo;It was the personality of an individual (named) &lsquo;Nayan&rsquo;, a transgender garment worker who I accidentally discovered while working. One day I was taking a walk with her and in the course of our conversation, she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me and I started to dig deep into the <em>hijra</em> community, forming deeper connections and solid friendships with them.&rdquo;</p>

<p>While embarking upon a task to document the lives of a misunderstood community, she witnessed how &ldquo;they are poorly labeled, with a lower status in the social structure of Bangladesh&rdquo;.</p>

<p>&ldquo;They are put in a box marked for invalids. I want to show the person behind that label, the lives and dreams behind those superficial assumptions. Maybe these stories will give them their real identity and some voice, as humans like you and me and not just as the still widely unaccepted third gender&rdquo;, she adds.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(3)-20170801073551.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Shumi (left) and Priya&rsquo;s new life is subject to the rules of a guru &ndash; in exchange for a new home (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Individual governments of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh identify them as the &lsquo;third gender&rsquo; or the &lsquo;other gender&rsquo; as they are neither fully male nor fully female. But this has happened just recently. Ostracised by the society for a long time, <em>hijras</em>, however, enjoyed a time of reckoning thousands of years ago when they were a part of the close-knit societal structure of Southeast Asian countries.</p>

<p>In ancient Hindu texts such as Mahabharata and Kama Sutra, they are celebrated as third sex. During the rule of Mughal empire, they served as protectors and guards of the women of the royals called &ldquo;<em>kwaja</em><em> sera</em>&rdquo;, meaning guards of the harem. But their status took a hit when during the British rule in India, <em>hijras</em> were deemed as criminals. Due to years of discrimination, most hijras face a low social standing in South Asia. They find claims of equal access to education, healthcare, and employment a sham.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The modern-day India opened its doors for <em>hijras</em> but with a sceptical eye considering their presence auspicious on several occasions like marriages and birth of children. However, with Indian society&#39;s evolution and an upscale movement towards urbanisation, <em>hijras</em> find themselves less invited than before.</p>

<p>Kajal and gang are a group of four <em>hijras</em> who stay together at all times. They come in groups asking for money at a popular hangout place in Hauz Khas. She says, &ldquo;My sisters and I come here every day. Young couples come to this fort to spend some time together and end up giving us money. I don&rsquo;t harass, no. It&rsquo;s easy to be preachy but difficult to step in my shoes. Don&rsquo;t say that I sell my body or use it to make money. What alternative do I have? My sisters have tried getting employment, nobody hires us but.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>But it&rsquo;s not just so in the Indian context.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shahria who took the time to live the life of an average <em>hijra</em>, reiterates, &ldquo;There is definitely a strong negative connotation to the word <em>hijra</em> in the Bangladeshi community but I wouldn&rsquo;t call it utter discrimination. They are now officially considered as the third gender. However, they are yet to be given due rights. They are still subjected to strong prejudice and stereotyping.</p>

<p>&quot;Bangladesh is generally considered a friendly and hospitable country where all religions are welcomed. I would say our problem with discrimination and negligence is as prominent as the next country. There isn&rsquo;t a specific formula that would make this discrimination go away but the first step towards it would be to facilitate their rights from the state, including, but not limited to voting rights, a social ID, medical facilities, education and public safety. This would be the first step towards treating them the same way as the next person.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(4)-20170801074130.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Heena (51): &ldquo;I feel like a mermaid. My body tells me I am a man and my soul tells me I am a woman&rdquo; (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p><br />
As a photographer, Shahria feels that &ldquo;meeting new people, approaching the unknown and their responses varying between rejections and acceptances&rdquo; is the most challenging aspect of her profession. Like every other work, she made a point to get familiar with her subjects before capturing them in her camera.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Shahria explains, &ldquo;Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Normally I spend a considerable time with a particular subject and most of the times I don&rsquo;t even shoot. I hang around with them for the whole day, have meals with them. Interestingly h<em>ijras</em> are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos. Trust level evolved when we argued and justified different social issues. I tried to identify with their values. Slowly, I tried to figure out what expressions they wanted to share with others and in what form.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
&ldquo;Normally I would discuss with them about the photograph I wanted to take and the way I would like to represent (them) to others. In most of the cases, they gave me some ideas or guidelines as to how they would like to be represented. I never noticed much anxiety among them for the way of their representation, rather I found them quite confident on what they are looking for. I did not deviate from their intentions. I had proven (myself) as a trustworthy person among their community.&rdquo;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/image%20tweeted%20out%20by%20alyssa%20(1)-20170801073108.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
<p>Tina (21): &ldquo;I am giving an exam. I don&rsquo;t know what the result will be&hellip;&rdquo; (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others)</p>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Shahria says, &ldquo;Amidst all hate and rejection from the society, <em>hijras</em> have happened to make a fruitful life out of what little they have and to me, this is what makes them unique. Perhaps media perceives them through a different lens because of this very reason. It doesn&rsquo;t necessarily have to be a bad thing. They are unique in their own way and that what makes them so beautiful, inside and out. This is what I try to portray through my photos. &nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>&ldquo;It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy. Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won&rsquo;t accept them? What exactly is &lsquo;normal&rsquo;? Perhaps they are just reaching out.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=?It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy. Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won?t accept them? What exactly is ?normal?? Perhaps they are just reaching out." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

<p>On my question of why all photos of hijras are centred around the body and are always seeking empathy from the public eye, Shahria speaks with a hint of defence, &ldquo;It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy from the audience. They like to think they can live a self-sufficient life just like anyone else. Because they didn&rsquo;t exactly fit into the very specific gender expectation, they are most often subjected to strong stereotyping. Why are they expected to act normal when they don&rsquo;t receive the same rights? Medical facilities? Safety? Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won&rsquo;t accept them? What exactly is &lsquo;normal&rsquo;? When we are photographing them, perhaps their act of reaching out is often mistaken for them seeking empathy.&rdquo;</p>

<p>On another note, she mentions that she is the narrator of the story. She says, &ldquo;I never had them click themselves. Perhaps it would have been a completely different perspective. However, I never clicked the pictures without a reason or a story. I spent a day or two with them without my camera, getting to know them, feel them and once I thought I had done so, I presented them in a way that they I thought they would embody themselves through the pictures. It was a mutual understanding.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Breaking myths, Shahria says, &ldquo;It might appear they hide their body because society expected them to be and act a particular way. They don&rsquo;t exactly fit into the strict formula that society has created for each gender. I would say they wish not to hide but celebrate their body. They are forced to act like something they are not simply to be recognised worthy or capable by the society.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>Hijras</em> typically dress like women, but no physical transition or change is required to be inducted into the community. In fact, many identify as neither men nor women, but rather as a &ldquo;third gender,&rdquo; a status that has received legal recognition in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.</p>

<p>Shahria does not expect things to change overnight but is hopeful that people would start responding to her photograph and the subsequently the community in due time. She adds, &ldquo;I believe we know what we have to know about them but we simply choose to ignore it, because of our convenience. We are too selfish to step outside our box and celebrate changes.&rdquo;&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


The Magnum Award winner photographer Shahria Sharmin explore the life of oppression and sources of strength that mark hijra communities in India and Bangladesh

“My life is very different from your life”, says Aishwarya, a hijra who survives on money collected by intimidating people at traffic lights and in public parks. Aishwarya is easily distinguishable from the swarm of beggars who wait eagerly at the signals every day. Clad in shades of reds and pinks, with a large bindi on her forehead and kohl smeared eyes, she stands out (not always in a positive way though). She explains, “I know they (public) mock me, most of them shrug me off but it’s okay. It’s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night.” Aishwarya lives in Palam in northwest Delhi, a cold locality that looks like a cobweb of gullies, uninhabitable to a stranger’s eye but is home to many like her. She (as she likes to be identified as a woman) is one among many others from the hijra community that mostly feels at odd with the society. Living under the constant scrutiny of the public eye, they feel vulnerable in their own skin. I know they mock me, most of them shrug me off but it’s okay. It’s not so easy to sleep on an empty stomach in the night. × The term ‘hijra’ is widely used in South Asia and refers to the transsexual and transgender community. It is derived from Semitic Arabic hjr meaning ‘leaving one’s tribe’ (understood literally as deflecting from the society’s conventions of the body, sex and sexuality). Most members of the community identify themselves as men born with souls of women and owing to their openness about their sexual orientation face marginalisation in every aspect of life. Guided with an ambition to tell stories of the hijra community, Shahria Sharmin, a photographer from Bangladesh is capturing their emotions and vulnerabilities for the world to see. In an exclusive conversation with Shahria, where she opens up about developing a strong bond with the hijra community, breaking prejudices and the time-consuming process of taking artistically challenging photographs. They feel vulnerable in their own skin but are proud of their own bodies, not ashamed like most of us think (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others) × Shahria narrates her first encounter with the subjects of the photo series titled Call Me Heena: “I have never really physically experienced how it feels to be a part of an actual minority group. I grew up in Bangladesh, as a woman. Sure there are limitations and restrictions which I had abided by but what real struggle can be, when the question of identity and emotions come into the picture, is something I had wondered about and working with the hijra community came from that general curiosity. "When I started working with the community, after hearing hundreds of stories, similar or otherwise, it became apparent, this is the community which I wanted to focus on and learn about. I also hoped to photograph in a way which represents them as an individual without the obvious superficial biases. That hope and curiosity helped me pursue my project.” Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Interestingly hijras are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos. × Belonging from Bangladesh, Shahria, did not always want to be a photographer. She pursued an education in Public Administration from the University of Dhaka and while studying, in several instances she recognised the art of photography. She felt that the medium “enables to tell stories and explore humanity”. She thus knew that she “had found her path”. She then graduated in photography from Pathshala South Asian Media Academy, Bangladesh. During the early years of her life, she had seen her father taking family photographs. It became a thing in the family for her to take photographs keeping her "two daughters in focal points”. Shahria says, “Years later I found myself fascinated with movies. The frames of the films that I studied intrigued me and I wanted to go deeper into the dynamics of frames. Slowly I found that as I move my lens towards a new face, I discover an astonishing new world and that is when I fell in love with photography more deeply and got into the journey of discovering new worlds.” Fascinated with the world of photographs and narrator’s story behind each photo, she did a three years photography course at Pathshala South Asian Media Institute. While studying she had to choose a photography project where she chose to work with Bangladesh’s famed garments factory workers. This changed her life in a way. The stigma of expressing one's sexuality Shahria remembers that while approaching her project honestly, she stumbled upon the hijra community of Bangladesh. One day I was taking a walk with her and she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me. × She says, “It was the personality of an individual (named) ‘Nayan’, a transgender garment worker who I accidentally discovered while working. One day I was taking a walk with her and in the course of our conversation, she mentioned how she desired a handsome husband and her wish to be his bride. Possessing a male body with a female psyche drew many questions and curiosity inside me and I started to dig deep into the hijra community, forming deeper connections and solid friendships with them.” While embarking upon a task to document the lives of a misunderstood community, she witnessed how “they are poorly labeled, with a lower status in the social structure of Bangladesh”. “They are put in a box marked for invalids. I want to show the person behind that label, the lives and dreams behind those superficial assumptions. Maybe these stories will give them their real identity and some voice, as humans like you and me and not just as the still widely unaccepted third gender”, she adds. Shumi (left) and Priya’s new life is subject to the rules of a guru – in exchange for a new home (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others) × Individual governments of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh identify them as the ‘third gender’ or the ‘other gender’ as they are neither fully male nor fully female. But this has happened just recently. Ostracised by the society for a long time, hijras, however, enjoyed a time of reckoning thousands of years ago when they were a part of the close-knit societal structure of Southeast Asian countries. In ancient Hindu texts such as Mahabharata and Kama Sutra, they are celebrated as third sex. During the rule of Mughal empire, they served as protectors and guards of the women of the royals called “kwaja sera”, meaning guards of the harem. But their status took a hit when during the British rule in India, hijras were deemed as criminals. Due to years of discrimination, most hijras face a low social standing in South Asia. They find claims of equal access to education, healthcare, and employment a sham. The modern-day India opened its doors for hijras but with a sceptical eye considering their presence auspicious on several occasions like marriages and birth of children. However, with Indian society's evolution and an upscale movement towards urbanisation, hijras find themselves less invited than before. Kajal and gang are a group of four hijras who stay together at all times. They come in groups asking for money at a popular hangout place in Hauz Khas. She says, “My sisters and I come here every day. Young couples come to this fort to spend some time together and end up giving us money. I don’t harass, no. It’s easy to be preachy but difficult to step in my shoes. Don’t say that I sell my body or use it to make money. What alternative do I have? My sisters have tried getting employment, nobody hires us but.” But it’s not just so in the Indian context. Shahria who took the time to live the life of an average hijra, reiterates, “There is definitely a strong negative connotation to the word hijra in the Bangladeshi community but I wouldn’t call it utter discrimination. They are now officially considered as the third gender. However, they are yet to be given due rights. They are still subjected to strong prejudice and stereotyping. "Bangladesh is generally considered a friendly and hospitable country where all religions are welcomed. I would say our problem with discrimination and negligence is as prominent as the next country. There isn’t a specific formula that would make this discrimination go away but the first step towards it would be to facilitate their rights from the state, including, but not limited to voting rights, a social ID, medical facilities, education and public safety. This would be the first step towards treating them the same way as the next person.” Heena (51): “I feel like a mermaid. My body tells me I am a man and my soul tells me I am a woman” (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others) × As a photographer, Shahria feels that “meeting new people, approaching the unknown and their responses varying between rejections and acceptances” is the most challenging aspect of her profession. Like every other work, she made a point to get familiar with her subjects before capturing them in her camera. Shahria explains, “Taking a photograph of an intimate and natural expression is always a slow and time-consuming process and knowing that, I never rushed. Normally I spend a considerable time with a particular subject and most of the times I don’t even shoot. I hang around with them for the whole day, have meals with them. Interestingly hijras are good cooks and I spent hours with them while cooking and sharing thoughts without taking any photos. Trust level evolved when we argued and justified different social issues. I tried to identify with their values. Slowly, I tried to figure out what expressions they wanted to share with others and in what form. “Normally I would discuss with them about the photograph I wanted to take and the way I would like to represent (them) to others. In most of the cases, they gave me some ideas or guidelines as to how they would like to be represented. I never noticed much anxiety among them for the way of their representation, rather I found them quite confident on what they are looking for. I did not deviate from their intentions. I had proven (myself) as a trustworthy person among their community.” Tina (21): “I am giving an exam. I don’t know what the result will be…” (Credit: Shahria Sharmin) (Others) × Shahria says, “Amidst all hate and rejection from the society, hijras have happened to make a fruitful life out of what little they have and to me, this is what makes them unique. Perhaps media perceives them through a different lens because of this very reason. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. They are unique in their own way and that what makes them so beautiful, inside and out. This is what I try to portray through my photos. “It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy. Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won’t accept them? What exactly is ‘normal’? Perhaps they are just reaching out. × On my question of why all photos of hijras are centred around the body and are always seeking empathy from the public eye, Shahria speaks with a hint of defence, “It is not fair to assume that all are seeking empathy from the audience. They like to think they can live a self-sufficient life just like anyone else. Because they didn’t exactly fit into the very specific gender expectation, they are most often subjected to strong stereotyping. Why are they expected to act normal when they don’t receive the same rights? Medical facilities? Safety? Why are they expected to act normal when it is so difficult to earn a living because society simply won’t accept them? What exactly is ‘normal’? When we are photographing them, perhaps their act of reaching out is often mistaken for them seeking empathy.” On another note, she mentions that she is the narrator of the story. She says, “I never had them click themselves. Perhaps it would have been a completely different perspective. However, I never clicked the pictures without a reason or a story. I spent a day or two with them without my camera, getting to know them, feel them and once I thought I had done so, I presented them in a way that they I thought they would embody themselves through the pictures. It was a mutual understanding.” Breaking myths, Shahria says, “It might appear they hide their body because society expected them to be and act a particular way. They don’t exactly fit into the strict formula that society has created for each gender. I would say they wish not to hide but celebrate their body. They are forced to act like something they are not simply to be recognised worthy or capable by the society. Hijras typically dress like women, but no physical transition or change is required to be inducted into the community. In fact, many identify as neither men nor women, but rather as a “third gender,” a status that has received legal recognition in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Shahria does not expect things to change overnight but is hopeful that people would start responding to her photograph and the subsequently the community in due time. She adds, “I believe we know what we have to know about them but we simply choose to ignore it, because of our convenience. We are too selfish to step outside our box and celebrate changes.” (WION)

What it means to be a hijra in Bangladesh

photographer

Photographer, News on Photographer, stories on Photographer, articles on Photographer, Photographer stories at Wion, Photographer news, Photographer latest news