Raghu Rai

Raghu Rai began his career in 1966 as Chief Photographer at the English daily The Statesman. In 1976, Rai became Picture Editor for Sunday, a weekly news magazine published in Calcutta. Impressed by an exhibition of his work in Paris in 1971, Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated Rai to join Magnum Photos in 1977. Between 1980 and 1991, Rai worked as Picture Editor with India Today. Many of Rai’s trail-blazing picture essays on social, political and cultural themes became the talking point of this prestigious magazine, during its formative years. He has served thrice on the jury of the World Press Photo and twice on the jury of UNESCO’s International Photo Contest. In 1972 Rai was honored with the Padma Shri, amongst India’s highest civilian awards given to a photographer. In 1992, the United States awarded him Photographer of the Year and in 2009 the French Government conferred on him the Officer des Arts et des Lettres. Engaged in an extensive coverage of India and its landscape, Raghu Rai has worked on themes ranging from Mother Teresa to Khajuraho and produced more than 18 books, including Raghu Rai’s Delhi, The Sikhs, Calcutta, Khajuraho, Taj Mahal, Tibet in Exile, India and Mother Teresa. He remains celebrated for his intensive coverage of India.