Raghu Rai nacque nel villaggio di Jhang, nel Punjab, nelle Indie Inglesi (ora Pakistan), uno di 4 figli.
Iniziò a fotografare nel 1965 e, l’anno successivo, assunse la mansione di capo-fotografo presso il giornale The Statesmandi Nuova Delhi. Rai lasciò The Statesman nel 1976 per lavorare come photo-editor per “Sunday”, una rivista settimanale pubblicata a Calcutta.
Impressionato dal suo lavoro in mostra a Parigi nel 1971, Henri Cartier-Bresson nominò Rai membro di Magnum Photos nel 1977.
Rai lasciò “Sunday” nel 1980 e ed iniziò a lavorare come fotografo/foto-editor/visualizer per “India Today”, durante i suoi anni di formazione. Dal 1982 al 1991 lavorò ad edizioni speciali, contribuendo con reportage fotografici su tematiche sociali, politiche e culturali.
Rai si è specializzato nella copertura dell’India. Ha prodotto più di 18 libri, tra cui Delhi, The Sikhs, Calcutta, Khajuraho, Taj Mahal, Tibet in Exile, India, and Mother Teresa. E’ conosciuto per i suoi libri, Raghu Rai’s India: Reflections in Colour and Reflections in Black and White.
I suoi reportage sono apparsi in numerose riviste e giornali, tra cui Time, Life, GEO, The New York Times, Sunday Times, Newsweek, The Independent, e il New Yorker.
Per conto di Greenpeace ha completato un progetto di documentazione sul disastro chimico di Bhopal nel 1984, che ha anche coperto in qualità di giornalista per India Today, e sui perduranti effetti sulle vite della popolazione intossicata. Il lavoro è stato poi riprodotto in un libro, Exposure: A Corporate Crime e tre mostre che hanno girato Europa, America, India e Sud-Est Asiatico dopo il 2004, il ventesimo anniversario del disastro. Rai desiderava che la mostra supportasse i molti sopravvissuti, creando un’ampia coscienza sociale, sia sul disastro ambientale, che sulle vittime – molte delle quali ancora non risarcite – che continuano a vivere nell’area contaminata attorno a Bhopal.
Nel 2003, mentre era in assignment per Geo Magazin a Bombay, cominciò ad usare una fotocamera digitale Nikon D100 “e dal quel momento in poi, non sono più stato in grado di tornare ad utilizzare la pellicola”.
E’ stato membro della giuria di World Press Photo per 3 volte e 2 volte della giuria dell’UNESCO’s International Photo Contest.
Raghu Rai (born 1942) is an Indian photographer and photojournalist. He was a protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson, who appointed Rai, then a young photojournalist, to Magnum Photos in 1977. Cartier-Bresson co-founded Magnum Photos.
Rai became a photographer in 1965, and a year later joined the staff of The Statesman, a New Delhi publication. In 1976, he left the paper and became a freelance photographer. From 1982 until 1992, Rai was the director of photography for India Today. He has served on the jury for World Press Photo from 1990 to 1997. He is known for his books, Raghu Rai’s India: Reflections in Colour and Reflections in Black and White.
Raghu Rai was born in the village of Jhang, Punjab, British India (now in Pakistan). He was one of four children.
Rai began photography in 1965, and the following year joined “The Statesman” newspaper as its chief photographer.Rai left “The Statesman” in 1976 to work as picture editor for “Sunday,” a weekly news magazine published in Calcutta. Impressed by an exhibit of his work in Paris in 1971, Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated Rai to join Magnum Photos in 1977.
Rai left “Sunday” in 1980 and worked as Picture Editor/Visualizer/Photographer of “India Today” during its formative years. From 1982 to 1991, he worked on special issues and designs, contributing picture essays on social, political and cultural themes.
Rai has specialised in extensive coverage of India. He has produced more than 18 books, including Raghu Rai’s Delhi, The Sikhs, Calcutta, Khajuraho, Taj Mahal, Tibet in Exile, India, and Mother Teresa. His photo essays have appeared in many magazines and newspapers including Time, Life, GEO, The New York Times, Sunday Times, Newsweek, The Independent, and the New Yorker.
For Greenpeace, he has completed an in-depth documentary project on the chemical disaster at Bhopal in 1984, which he covered as a journalist with India Today in 1984, and on its ongoing effects on the lives of gas victims. This work resulted in a book, Exposure: A Corporate Crime and three exhibitions that toured Europe, America, India and southeast Asia after 2004, the 20th anniversary of the disaster. Rai wanted the exhibition to support the many survivors through creating greater awareness, both about the tragedy, and about the victims – many who are still uncompensated – who continue to live in the contaminated environment around Bhopal.
In 2003, while on an assignment for Geo Magazine in Bombay City, he switched to using a digital Nikon D100 camera “and from that moment to today, I haven’t been able to go back to using film.”
He has served three times on the jury of the World Press Photo and twice on the jury of UNESCO’s International Photo Contest.
Here an interview
And here the Raghu Raui Center For Photography
Anna”°”