-Tribute- Amit Sah, An Eminent Lensman Passes Away

-Tribute-
Amit Sah, An Eminent Lensman Passes Away

Promising photographer Amit Sah is no more. He left to the heavenly abode today morning (18.09.2023). His demise is a great loss to the world of photography. He will always be remembered due to his beautiful pictures of Uttarakhand.

Born in Nainital (India), Amit Sah was a dedicated photographer. Since he grew up in a town which was surrounded by magnificent nature, he had an inborn desire to capture the scenic beauty of his native place. He initially used to click with his mobile phone camera. This was July, 2013 when one of his pictures was published in a reputed News Paper. Amit got a big appreciation from photographers’ fraternity for this picture. Hereafter he started photography seriously. Very soon he participated in a photography contest and he received first prize from the Finance Minister of Uttarakhand State. This added wings to Amit’s passion.

Amit had got many awards in photography competitions. Around 200 pictures clicked by him got place in esteemed publications. One of his pictures was printed on a poster of United Nations on the occasion of International Mountain Day. His pictures portray the beauty of nature so truthfully that the viewers get spellbound. Amit believed, “This is our vision which results into good pictures, and everybody possesses his/her own vision”

 Amit was fond of trekking and biking. He had visited many beautiful places of India. He was a good actor as well and had acted in two shot films.

 --Dr. Pankaj Sharma

Obituary: Krishna Kumar Marfatia and Vipul Verma

-Obituary-

God is the supreme controller of this world. Birth and demise are determined by him. We mourn deeply on the heavenly departure of our beloved ones, but cannot stop this natural phenomenon. Two of our beloved artists left us recently. One was Shri Krishna Kumar Marfatia of Mumbai and another was Shri Vipul Verma of Almora. We will always remember them for their valuable contribution in the field of art photography.

Krishna Kumar Marfatia

Born on 30 December, 1927, Krishna Kumar Marfatia was an ace photographer. Mr. Marfatia had passion for photography since the early days of his life. He was a good pictorial photographer. He was deeply inclined towards photographing portraits and landscapes. Besides, he was an enthusiastic traveller. He had visited numerous places of India and abroad. He photographed a number of scenic places as a true travel photographer. The pictures clicked by him fascinate the art lovers at first sight and work as a source of knowledge to the beginners. 

He had profound leaning towards education. He remained at key position in several educational institutions. He departed to the heavenly abode on 17 July 2016 in his native city, Mumbai. He will always be remembered for his precious contribution in the field of photography and education.

Vipul Verma

Born on 28 October, 1996 in Almora (Uttarakhand) Vipul Verma was an emerging photo-artist. He was an avid traveller and a competent tracker. He had travelled Uttarakhand State extensively in a short phase of time. Vipul had clicked stunning pictures during his trips to different pretty places of his State. The main field of his interest was landscape photography. Besides, he loved to click star trails. Vipul had established himself as a fine photographer at a very young age. He left us on 14 July, 2016. He will always remain in our memories for his polite nature and mastery over photography. 

-Obituary- Mohan Gidwani, An Outstanding Photographer Passes Away

-Obituary-

A Brilliant Photo-Artist, 
Mohan Gidwani, Passes Away

Mohan Gidwani, a nature photographer with unmatchable aesthetic sense, passed away recently in Delhi.  His demise is a big loss to the world of photography-art.

Born in 1959 in a family of century old confectioners of Delhi (India), “Chaina Ram Sindhi Confectioners”, Mohan Gidwani graduated from Delhi University and engaged in his family business.

In most of the cases a person has inclination towards arts since his/her childhood days. The same was with Mohan Gidwani. He possessed creative bend of mind since his childhood days. He used to observe the art works of the great masters in the magazines and during the art exhibitions thoroughly. The images clicked by them touched his soul and motivated him to step into the realm of art. Gradually photography became his obsession.  Mohan Gidwani was a nature lover and he preferred to capture the nature at its best. He took photography as a journey of the soul which accompanies an artist throughout his life. After so many years of his involvement in creative field, he found photography not as an art only but an integral part of his life. He used to say that this art-form was the uttermost medium of expression for him.

Mohan Gidwani  loved simplicity in the images, and thus he tried to keep his creations away from complexity. His nature shots take us into a fantastic world at first sight.

He had won more than 400 Awards and Certificates of Merit, and over 1400 acceptances in International and National photographic Salons.

The India International Photographic Council had honoured him with prestigious Associateship Honour and Diamond Grading. A good number of his photographs got published in reputed magazines and catalogues. 

He was a kind hearted person with helpful nature. He will always be remembered for his excellent photographs and gracious nature.

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma

-Obituary- A Disciplined Photography Lover : Gian Prakash Kulshreshtha

-Obituary-

A Disciplined Photography Lover
Gian Prakash Kulshreshtha

A true photography lover, Mr. Gian Prakash Kulshreshtha passed away on 30 October, 2015 in his home town, Bareilly (U.P-India). This is a big loss to the realm of photography. 

Mr. Kulshreshtha was born on 11 February, 1937. He was a gifted lens man. He had deep inclination towards arts since his childhood days. After the completion of his formal studies,  photography art became his full time passion. He established his photography studio, known as Gian Studio in Bareilly in the beginning of seventies. Due to his sincere efforts he got mastery over group and portrait photography within a short phase of time. In 1989 he was invited in the Department of Fine Arts at Bareilly College to impart knowledge among the students of photography art. He served there as a lecturer of photography for more than a decade. He had good command over the basics of photography. The students taught by him are serving in reputed organizations today.

As he was a serious art lover, he thought of forming a photography club in Bareilly in order to encourage this form of art. He, along with a few art enthusiasts, like Shri O. N. Sharma, Mr. N. A. Neazi, Mr. Prabhat Kumar Singh etc. formed Photo Vision club around 25 years back. This was the first photography club in Bareilly. This organization started conducting different events of photography under his able guidance and thus the tradition of photographic activities started in Bareilly. Since then Photo Vision has been actively involved in the service of photography art.

He was so much inclined towards photography that he always tried his best to attend photographic events in or outside his home town.

Mr. Kulshreshtha will always be remembered for his deep knowledge of photography, his sincerity, punctuality and disciplined nature.

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma

-Obituary- K. G. Maheshwari: A Doyen of Photography

-Obituary-

 K. G. Maheshwari

A Doyen of Photography

Mr. K. G. Maheshwari, a legendary photo artist of India passed away on 05 December – 2014 in Mumbai. He was a photo artist of high caliber, a great human being and a torch bearer for photography enthusiasts.

Born on November 2, 1922, Maheshwari’s interest in Photography as a hobby began from his school days.  His father wanted him to take up Music as hobby and a teacher was asked to come and audition the boy at home.  But the result was disappointing when the teacher declared that the boy did not have the kind of voice.  A pragmatic boy decided to take up Photography as his hobby, instead.  His father used to subscribe to Illustrated Weekly and young Maheshwari used to diligently go through the pages devoted to photography.  He started with a Box camera when in school.  Later on, he acquired a Rollie, a Leica M3 and a Mamiaflex 330. 

In 1938, P. J. Patel of Central Camera asked him to send his photographs for a competition organized by Niharika Camera Pictorialists of Gujarat and he won a prize in the Beginners Section.  This is how he really got interested in photography.

He did not go through any formal training in photography, as there was none such available.  Circumstances around him favoured by putting him into close contact with people who were advanced photographers – people who were mature in the art and practice of photography like late Jehangirjee Unwalla, the doyen of Indian Photography and late Burjorji Fanibunda, and he acknowledged that he had learnt the real technique of pictorial print making from these great practitioners.  In 1941 he got married and as things could happen his wife Shanti not only encouraged him to continue practising his pet hobby to the fullest but so to say, shared it by giving her utmost might and main to his hobby of making pictorial photography a part of their lives.

He regularly participated in the exhibitions of photography at national and international levels. He had achieved about 1600 acceptances and around 400 awards in these reputed shows.

Various photographic organizations honoured him for his treasured contribution into the field of photography. A few among them are the Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain in 1946, Honorary Fellowship of the India International Photographic Council, Delhi, in 1985, Hon. FIP by the Federation of India Photography, Kolkata in 2009 and Associateship of the Photographic Society of America in 1992. The Photographic Society of India, Mumbai, had honoured him with its Honorary Life Membership in 1975. Above all The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India honoured him with Lifetime Achievement Award for his noble efforts for the sake of art.  

He had been on the panel of judging of several National and International Exhibitions and was a member of the Honors Committees of the India International Photographic Council and the Photographic Society of India.

A collection of his photographic work spanning over four decades was published in a book form entitled ‘PRINTS AND IMPRINTS’ by the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Calcutta. He contributed articles to various photographic journals and submitted papers at different seminars. 

He took keen interest in conducting photography workshops for art lovers. His favorite subject was ‘Pictorial Portraiture’.

Mr. Maheshwari was a master of Pictorial Portraiture. The portraits photographed by him attract the attention of viewers at first sight. These portraits are the perfect mix of emotions, excellent light and fine composition.

The passing away of Mr. K. G. Maheshwari is a big loss to the world of photography art. He will always be remembered for his precious contribution for art.  

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma (After Mr. D. C. Bhachech)

                                                                            

(Memories Forever: Myself with Mr. K. G. Maheshwari Ji in January-201o)

“Obituary” Tribute to an Exceptional Photo-Artist Balbir Singh, IIPC Diamond

“Obituary”

Tribute to an Exceptional Photo-Artist

Balbir Singh, IIPC Diamond

Balbir Singh (Nainital, India), a courageous photo-artist, passed away on 11^th March, 2013 in Patiala, where he was admitted in a hospital for treatment. Balbir Singh was ill for past few months.

Born in 1956, Balbir Singh was fond of photography since his school days. Unfortunately he had a hard-hitting time in 1976 when his both legs were paralysed due to a problem in spinal cord. This incident brought him under deep grief, and his passion for photography was left far behind. He struggled hard and at last conquered over his depressed life. As a result of his honest attempts, he got job in State Bank of India in 1983. This boosted his courage. Now he decided to breathe life into his hobby, i.e. photography. However, this was not so easy due to his physical immobility. He finally got a three-wheeled scooter. This added wings to his passion. Now his camera became his companion and he never looked back. He did not take halt in his voyage of art till the last days of his life.

He achieved a number of awards and recognitions for his art works. His photographs were displayed in numerous shows in different cities of India. The images clicked by him got wide appreciation.

A few years back I had to go to Nainital to judge a photography contest. He was among the organizers of this event. Unfortunately his mother passed away a few days before this event. During our telephonic conversation he said, “The passing away of my mother is a natural phenomena. The schedule of contest's judging should not be postponed ….The show must go on……….” His words doubled my respect for him.   

We salute him for his valuable contribution in the field of art-photography. He will always be remembered for his indomitable courage and his true love for art-photography. May his noble soul rest in peace.

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma  

 

Obituary: Tribute to a True Photo-Artist: Benu Sen, MFIAP, FRPS, ESFIAP

TRIBUTE TO A GREAT PHOTO-ARTIST

Benu Sen,

MFIAP, FRPS, ESFIAP

Born in 1932, and trained to be a ground engineer, Benu Sen’s association with the viewfinder happened by a sheer play of chance. It was August 15, 1954, when Sen accompanied a camera-lugging friend to an Independence Day celebration. The device sparked off his curiosity and he was keen to have a look at the new equipment with his friend, who however turned down the request on the ground that his tampering might damage the camera. That came as a blow to his pride which took him the very next day to a junk market in Kolkata – to look for lenses, tin and other scrap materials to assemble his very own camera. The success of this attempt triggered a spurt of diverse experimentation in camera mechanics and darkroom techniques. Not surprisingly, engineering took a backseat. Hereafter the endless voyage of creativity began.

In 1957, Benu Sen, along with like-minded friends, established the Photographic Association of Dumdum to practice, propagate and discuss the nuances of this art form. Another remarkable contribution of Sen is his initiative in setting up a state-of-the-art photography department in the Indian Museum Kolkata. Established in 1963, it was the first of this kind in India.

However, the most notable milestone for this septuagenarian photo artist was perhaps the starting of free photographic courses under the wings of the Photographic Association of Dumdum. Since the launch of the course in 1969, this association has blossomed into a full-fledged institute for systematic schooling in photography, totally free of cost. With an expert faculty, all of whom are engaged voluntarily; it offers a one-year certificate course and a subsequent two-year diploma to aspirants, irrespective of age and academic qualifications. Many of his students are well placed in senior level positions in the Government Establishments (Including Rashtrapati Bhawan, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Defense, Department of Culture, and Department of Science etc.), public sector and autonomous organizations, private sectors and individual entrepreneurship.

He was the 3rd man in the world to have received the rare honor of ‘Master of Photography’ (M.F.I.A.P.) from the Federation International de L’ Art Photographique, a body under the recognition of UNESCO. He was conferred the Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain (F.R.P.S.) in 1975, EFIAP in 1960, ESFIAP in 1972 and number Honorary fellowships like Hon F.J.I.A.P. (Japan), F.N.P.A.S. (Sri Lanka), Hon. F.P.B.S. (Bangladesh), Hon. F.P.A.D (India), Hon. F.C.O.S (Romania), Hon. P.A.B, Hon. S.O.P etc. for his contribution to pictorial photography.

Photo Division of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India launched the National Photography Awards for the first time in 2010 in order to commemorate its Golden Jubilee Celebration. Among the four recipients of these awards, Benu Sen was one of them.

His other remarkable contribution to photography is the BS4 formula, an extra ordinary fine grain developer for tropical countries. Moreover, he introduced colour photogram and colour separation from Black & White Negatives in India.

During his lifetime, he organized 7 International Photographic Conferences, 12 All India Seminars, 48 international Salons and several local exhibitions to promote and propagate photography throughout the world. He organized a number of Solo Exhibitions and Group Shows. Mr. Sen presented a number of papers. Many of them had been published in reputed journals. He delivered talks on T.V & Radio t on photography. He was former Vice President and founder member of India International Photographic Council, New Delhi and Former Vice President, Calcutta Photo Club Coordination Center. He served as Jury in a number of national and International Salons, both in India and abroad during the last 50 years. He had written a few books as well. One of his most valuable publications was “Art of Photography” (1979). He was co-author of the most important books, “Experimental Photography” and “Learn Photography”.

Benu Sen retired from the Indian Museum as photo Officer in 1990. During his service period, he contributed a lot both in the field of Social & Cultural Anthropology and allied Museum Photography.

As an artist, he had enormous exhibits in different Salons throughout the world and won several awards at international level. He was adjudged the best Indian Pictorialist by the Camera World International, Australia for his peculiarly imaginative photographs. He was honoured by the Harvard Scenetic Museum, Harvard University, for his outstanding contribution to museum photography. To crown all, he had been conferred the Honorary Excellence of the ‘Federation International de L’ Art Photographique’ the highest International body of photography, in the world. Government of India honoured him with lifetime achievement award in 2010 for his valuable contribution in the field of creative photography.

He was the Secretary General, Federation of Indian Photography and President of Photographic Association of Dum Dum.

Passing away of Mr. Benu Sen is a big loss to the world of creativity. His valuable services to the field of art-photography and his cooperative nature will always be remembered.

(Courtesy: Mr. Debatosh Sengupta, Director, Photo Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India, Delhi; Prof. Bistwatosh Sengupta, Hony. Secretary, Photographic Association of Dum Dum, Kolkata; Mr. Shyamal Kumar Roy, Kolkata and Official Website of Photographic Association of Dum Dum)

"Obituary" : Tribute to a Great Master : P.C.Little

"Obituary"

Tribute to a Great Master

P.C.Little

Friends,

Mr. Prakash Chandra Arya, widely known as P. C. Little (Lucknow, India), passed away on 18 January 2011 in his hometown. Mr. Little was a multifarious human being. He was a high-quality painter, proficient photo-artist, an erudite writer and a philosopher.
Born in 1937, Mr. Little had inventive taste since his early days. By his young age, he became passionate about art and in 1958 completed five years Professional Diploma in Commercial Art from Govt. College of Arts & Crafts, Lucknow. One of his teachers was so impressed by his ability that he started calling him “Little Scholar”. Henceforward the word “Little” became a sobriquet of his name.
Due to his proficiency in art, he joined Department of Commercial Art & Photography, Faculty of Fine Arts, Lucknow University as a teacher. Later on, he became the Head of the same department. He served this institute whole-heartedly and always aimed at the promotion of art. His style of expression was unique and had no parallel in the arena of art. So he was always an ideal for his students and the art lovers. During the last phase of his life, he experimented with creative art and produced theme based graphical images with the help of photographs clicked by him. For doing so, he took help of photo editing softwares like Adobe Photoshop. The output was exceptional and resulted in remarkable images.
Mr. Little organized a number of solo exhibitions of his paintings and art-photographs in highly reputed art galleries and institutions in India and abroad. His art-works have been treasured in the permanent collection of several museums.
Many of his research papers/articles on art and culture, and photography were published in reputed journals, books and magazines.
Apart from his command on fine arts, Mr. Little was a passionate collector of the rarest cameras in the history of photography. His collection includes about 400 antique cameras.
He had been a member of Executive Council, U.P State Lalit Kala Akademy (1983-86), Hon. Director of Rashtriya lalit Kala Kendra, Lucknow (1983-88) and a Member of Advisory Council, Regional Science Centre, Lucknow (1986-88). The Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India honored him with its Senior Fellowship in Visual Arts in 2007. Image Colleague Society International-USA honored him with prestigious FICS in 2009. He has a string of national and international awards to his credit.
The passing away of Mr. P. C. Little is a great loss to the realm of art and photography. The art lovers all over the world will always remember him due to his valuable contribution.
He has left behind his wife, Mrs. Asha Arya and successors, Mr. Bhupesh Chandra Little and Avinash Chandra Little (sons) and a grandson.

(Images and information courtesy: My dear friend, Mr. Bhupesh Chandra Little)

.....

--Dr. Pankaj Sharma

Mr. P.C Little With His Antique Cameras

Creative Images of Mr. P. C. Little.