Remembering the work of photojournalist Rakesh Sahai

Prateek Chauhan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 9

His passion drived him to carve a niche for himself in the world of photography. 

Acclaimed for his frames in the wild, the late photojournalist Rakesh Sahai spent two decades nurturing his passion—wildlife photography, and when the end came last year at the age of 58, follows a cardiac seizure, he was at the Pench National Park in Madhya Pradesh.

Recently, his students organised a classic wildlife pictures exhibition at Habitat Centre which was witnessed by people from all walks of life. For the first time, people who came to attend other programmes were drawn to Sahai’s pictures he clicked at different wildlife sanctuaries.

An industrialist of Kolkota, Mohan Dass, who was at Habitat Centre to attend a programme, strayed into the exhibition and was impressed. He said, “Watching these pictures I am getting a feeling that I am in a wild jungle.”

Ajit Eusebius, a student of the late photographer who loves travelling and exploring uncharted territories, said, “The call of the wild brought me and Sahai together and I went on several trips exploring and shooting the Indian wildlife. Sahai’s knowledge of photography taught me many fine aspects of lens craft,” he said.

Sahai in his circle was known as a natural wildlife genius photographer as he had the most amazing collection of wildlife photographs, which he would sometimes share with close friends. He knew how to spot birds and where the animals would come to rest. He was natural, not one to opt for safaris, he would simply travel into the wild on his own, Ajit added.

His passion also got him associated with several NGOs, and he mentored children to explore the wild, which resulted in a group called “Teens for Tigers”.

When Delhi got its new domestic departure terminal, 1D, it was Sahai’s photos that filled the corridor connecting the VIP lounge to the security hold area.

In his career as a photojournalist, he was associated with Time Inc. and its publications, and worked with The Straits Times, Singapore, for which he did shoots in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

But his work will keep him always alive, recalled his friends and well wishers.