Raghu Rai, the renowned Indian photographer known for chronicling independent India, has passed away at 83. His family confirmed his death, honoring his legacy as a significant figure in photography.
Mentioned in this story
Internationally acclaimed photographer Raghu Rai, widely regarded as one of the foremost chroniclers of independent India, has died at the age of 83.
The photographer’s family on Sunday announced Rai’s death in a statement, paying tribute to “our beloved”.
A construction engineer by training, Rai was born in a village in what is now Pakistan’s Punjab province before the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent.
He went on to become an iconic photographer documenting the complex social and political life of India, with his work ranging from historic turning points to intimate portraits.
India’s former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during an election campaign in the 1970s [File: Raghu Rai/The India Today Group via Getty Images]
Some of his best-known works include documenting the 1971 independence war of Bangladesh and the 1984 gas leak in the central Indian city of Bhopal that killed an estimated 25,000 people.
His photographs from Bhopal became defining visual records of India’s worst industrial disaster.
Bodies next to a funeral pyre in the aftermath of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy [Raghu Rai/The India Today Group via Getty Images]
In 1972, Rai was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours, for his exceptional work. He also won the inaugural Academie des Beaux-Arts Photography Award, cementing his place on the global stage.
“He didn’t just take photographs, he preserved our nation’s memory,” India’s main opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, posted in his tribute on X.
Raghu Rai is known for being one of the foremost chroniclers of independent India, capturing its complex social and political life through his photography.
Raghu Rai died at the age of 83, with his death announced by his family on a Sunday.
Raghu Rai was born in a village in what is now Pakistan's Punjab province before the 1947 partition of India.
Raghu Rai had a significant impact on Indian photography by documenting historic events and intimate portraits, influencing generations of photographers.
The UK's terrorism legislation reviewer calls for a discussion on migration's impact on national security after a knife attack in Belfast. The attacker, a Sudanese man, entered the UK in 2023 and was granted refugee status.
David Harbour speaks on Lily Allen's 'West End Girl' album, saying it doesn't reflect his experience.
Trump hardens stance on Iran, hints at continued military strikes.
US diplomat found dead in Yangon; Thai woman in custody for investigation
UFC champion Sean Strickland says he’s banned from White House fight due to Trump criticism.
New Western sanctions target Israeli settlers and far-right ministers, but campaigners argue they don't address the Israeli government's role in the occupation. Analysts believe these measures deflect attention from the need for broader institutional penalties.
See every story in News — including breaking news and analysis.
Former Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi with his wife Sonia Gandhi [Raghu Rai/The India Today Group via Getty Images]
Known for portraits of India’s political and social elite and photographing its culture and masses with equal alacrity, Rai published dozens of photo-books, including one on the iconic Mughal monument to love, the Taj Mahal.
His intimate portraits of Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa hold a particularly special place in Rai’s work.
Rai was a member 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, he was an incomparable master of photography, the visionary who captured the pulsating heart and soul of India,” Indian parliamentarian and author Shashi Tharoor said in a tribute. “Your vision will forever be the lens through which India is seen.”
Indira Gandhi with British PM Margaret Thatcher in London [Raghu Rai/The India Today Group via Getty Images]
According to the Indian Express newspaper, Rai was introduced to photography by his photographer brother six decades ago and published his first picture, a donkey gazing straight into his camera, in The Times of London.
Rai later moved to photojournalism, working with some of the nation’s best-known media houses of his time through the 1960s and 70s, before going solo in his quest to depict his vast country’s complexity.
Rai’s work spans shooting on film and digital formats, both black and white and colour. He worked all his life in India, and once said, “I can never be true to my experiences without a camera.”
Raghu Rai at his office in New Delhi, India, in this 2015 photo [Pradeep Gaur/Mint via Getty Images]