Raghu Rai, legendary Indian photographer, dies at 83

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A Magnum Photos icon, Rai’s photographs preserved India’s representation done immoderate of its pathbreaking events spanning decades.

Published On 26 Apr 2026

Internationally acclaimed lensman Raghu Rai, wide regarded arsenic 1 of the foremost chroniclers of autarkic India, has died astatine the property of 83.

The photographer’s household connected Sunday announced Rai’s decease successful a statement, paying tribute to “our beloved”.

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A operation technologist by training, Rai was calved successful a colony successful what is present Pakistan’s Punjab state earlier the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent.

He went connected to go an iconic lensman documenting the analyzable societal and governmental beingness of India, with his enactment ranging from historical turning points to intimate portraits.

Legendary Indian lensman  Raghu Rai dies astatine  property  of 83India’s erstwhile Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during an predetermination run successful the 1970s [File: Raghu Rai/The India Today Group via Getty Images]

Some of his best-known works see documenting the 1971 independency warfare of Bangladesh and the 1984 state leak successful the cardinal Indian metropolis of Bhopal that killed an estimated 25,000 people.

His photographs from Bhopal became defining ocular records of India’s worst concern disaster.

Legendary Indian lensman  Raghu Rai dies astatine  property  of 83Bodies adjacent to a ceremonial pyre successful the aftermath of the 1984 Bhopal state calamity [Raghu Rai/The India Today Group via Getty Images]

In 1972, Rai was awarded the Padma Shri, 1 of India’s highest civilian honours, for his exceptional work. He besides won the inaugural Academie des Beaux-Arts Photography Award, cementing his spot connected the planetary stage.

“He didn’t conscionable instrumentality photographs, helium preserved our nation’s memory,” India’s main absorption leader, Rahul Gandhi, posted successful his tribute connected X.

Raghu RaiFormer Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi with his woman Sonia Gandhi [Raghu Rai/The India Today Group via Getty Images]

Known for portraits of India’s governmental and societal elite and photographing its civilization and masses with adjacent alacrity, Rai published dozens of photo-books, including 1 connected the iconic Mughal monument to love, the Taj Mahal.

His intimate portraits of Nobel Peace Prize victor Mother Teresa clasp a peculiarly peculiar spot successful Rai’s work.

Rai was a subordinate of Magnum Photos, nominated to the prestigious New York-based cooperative by Henri Cartier-Bresson, who is known worldwide for his defining candid photography.

“To the world, helium was an incomparable maestro of photography, the visionary who captured the pulsating bosom and psyche of India,” Indian parliamentarian and writer Shashi Tharoor said successful a tribute. “Your imaginativeness volition everlastingly beryllium the lens done which India is seen.”

Legendary Indian lensman  Raghu Rai dies astatine  property  of 83Indira Gandhi with British PM Margaret Thatcher successful London [Raghu Rai/The India Today Group via Getty Images]

According to the Indian Express newspaper, Rai was introduced to photography by his lensman member six decades agone and published his archetypal picture, a donkey gazing consecutive into his camera, successful The Times of London.

Rai aboriginal moved to photojournalism, moving with immoderate of the nation’s best-known media houses of his clip done the 1960s and 70s, earlier going solo successful his quest to picture his immense country’s complexity.

Rai’s enactment spans shooting connected movie and integer formats, some achromatic and achromatic and colour. He worked each his beingness successful India, and erstwhile said, “I tin ne'er beryllium existent to my experiences without a camera.”

Legendary Indian lensman  Raghu Rai dies astatine  property  of 83Raghu Rai astatine his bureau successful New Delhi, India, successful this 2015 photograph [Pradeep Gaur/Mint via Getty Images]

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