The passing away of one of India’s leading photographers and Padma Shri recipient Raghu Rai on Sunday morning has left people across sections in shock. Eminent photographer Pablo Bartholomew, who has worked with him for decades and has admired his work, says it’s a “personal loss” as they shared many things in common.
“I knew him because he was my father’s friend. He was very senior to me, and later we became contemporaries as photojournalists in the field. Our birthdate is the same (December 18) and we used to connect with each other on that day. We did several assignments together including the Bhopal Gas Tragedy and Babri Masjid demolition,” says Pablo.
Terming him “as a father figure in photojournalism”, he says, “He is a path breaker. He is somebody who I have looked up to. Not just me, he has influenced an entire generation. He has inspired many to come in this field and take up photography and photojournalism.”
The masterpieces for him were his earlier work over the iconic photographs. “What I like is his early period because when you are younger, you are starting and your eye is developing, that phase of his work. His donkey pix, sparrows and all and the black and white work. The way he looked at simple things of life in a very interesting way is the most precious for me,” he says.
Pablo adds, “Also, more important things that I will remember about him are the books that he made. He has at least 18 books to his name, where he showed that creative expression is beyond journalism and he showed his Hindustan to the world.”
He last spoke to him on their birthday. “I had come to know about his illness and when we spoke, I expressed my desire to come and see him. And, he said, ‘I’m not in a good shape right now…batlaunga!’ And, now I hear this and unfortunately, I cannot attend his last rites as I am in Shillong.”
The lensman remembers the tragic Bhopal incident where the photo of the iconic buried girl became immensely popular. “When we (he, Raghu and others) reached Bhopal the situation was haywire. Somehow, we reached the place and we all clicked that buried girl pix. Raghu’s pix was in black and white while mine was in colour. It was one of the most tragic things I have captured,” he recalls.
That photo won Pablo the World Press Photo of the Year (1985).