New Delhi, April 26
One of India’s most celebrated photographers, Raghu Rai, has died at the age of 83, leaving behind a visual legacy that documented the country’s soul across decades of change. Rai passed away in the early hours of Sunday at a private hospital, his family said. His son, photographer Nitin Rai, said his father had battled cancer in recent years, which eventually spread to his brain, alongside age-related complications.
He is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites are to be held at Delhi’s Lodhi Crematorium later on Sunday.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, now in Pakistan, Rai’s journey into photography began relatively late. Trained as a civil engineer, he discovered his passion for the camera in his early twenties and joined The Statesman newspaper in 1966. What followed was a career spanning more than six decades, during which his images came to define India’s modern visual memory.
Mentored by the legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, Rai developed a distinctive style that blended intimacy with historical depth. He captured defining moments such as the Bangladesh refugee crisis and the Bhopal gas tragedy, producing images that were both haunting and humane.
His portraits of towering figures — from Indira Gandhi and Dalai Lama to Mother Teresa and filmmaker Satyajit Ray — offered rare glimpses into their personal worlds. At the same time, his lens lingered on ordinary lives, finding quiet dignity in everyday moments.
Rai worked with leading Indian publications such as Sunday and India Today, while his photo essays appeared in international titles including Time, Life, The New York Times and The New Yorker. His work brought India’s stories to a global audience without losing their emotional nuance.
Recognised widely, he received the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh war. His achievements also included international honours, among them France’s prestigious Officier des Arts et des Lettres.
Beyond awards, Rai leaves behind an enduring archive of more than 50,000 images and dozens of books, reflecting a lifetime spent observing, documenting and interpreting the world around him. According to his foundation, he had been working on his 57th book.
For many, Raghu Rai’s photographs were more than images — they were windows into India’s past and present, capturing both its turbulence and its tenderness with rare sensitivity.
With PTI Inputs
