Kishor ParekhIndian Photojournalist

1930 - 1982

2015IGNCA, New Delhi

Born inBhavnagar, Gujarat

1930

- He started out in life studying for a degree in chemistry.

-The subject could not hold his interest, especially after he acquired a box camera in college.

-No sooner had he obtained his bachelors degree in chemistry than Parekh was off to Los Angeles to study photography.

Studied - Filmmaking & documentary photographyat the University of Southern California.

Parekh, who learnt his craft in the US in the1950s had a knack of immersing himself in hissubject matter till he felt almost a part of it.

1950

He returned to India from 1960 to 1961

and became the chiefphotographer of the

1960 to 1961

1962

he covered theSino-Indian war of 1962

1964

He also shotPM Jawaharlal Nehru

until the latter's death in 1964.

1965

Indo-PakistaniWar

Tanks of 18th Cavalry (Indian Army) on the move during the 1965 Indo-Pak War.

1966

KP was awardeda gold medal bySoviet Land in 1966

1966-1967

He covered the 1966-1967famine in Bihar andhis photographson this subject wereexhibitedin the US.

Tense faces of the Bihar famine

But there is nothing to challengeParekh's documentation

of the 1971 war in Bangladesh.

The Indian governmentCommissioned20,000 copies ofthe book to raiseawareness of the war.

Born December 18, 1955 (age 60)New Delhi, IndiaPhotojournalism

'"Bangladesh was Kishor’s highest point. Self-assigned, self-funded, driven by his own instincts, emotions and guts, in a two week periodhe produced a startling set of images that became a powerfulbook and statement.".

Pablo Bartholomew

First edition. SIGNED on verso of front cover.

1971

A nine months of war translated intothree million deaths and an ocean of tears.

‘The Bangladesh Liberation war’

my favorite image from Kishore’s very personal angle where freedom fighters are onaction, while a random army boot on the road works to transform us in time. It makes mefeel that I was right inside the heart of the war.

His iconic work, ‘Bangladesh: A Brutal Birth’ is being exhibited in India for the first time,33 years after he passed away.

-These works are precious which chroniclethe 1971 liberation war withoutany dramatization or any absurd claim.

-These are the images of what happened.And what happened is never to be forgotten.

He became photo editor ofPacific Magazines Ltd,a position he held till about 1972

1972

Photograph of Feroze Katpitia, Kishor Parekh and Vinodray Patel

1974

1977

Raghu Rai's wife Gurmeet; with fellow newsPhotographer Kishor Parekh; Rai in his birthplaceJhang, Pakistan during a visit in 1977

Parekh's work appeared innumerousnational andInternationalPublicationsIncluding..

He died of a heart attackin 1982 while onassignment in theHimalayas.

1982

Upon his death,his 16-year-old sonSwapan Parekh becamea photographer.

At DPF 2015

Child marriage of 7 year oldThe story of Prem & Kamal

By Swapan Parekh

"For me the camera has been avital means ofcommunication & expression.

Truthfully taken photographshave always been social instruments,helping men to understand their world.“

- Kishor Parekh

He was certainly the mostexperienced & sensitive photographer in India

& the pictures he took thattouch the essence of the human condition.

Parekh wasabove all the man

who brought news photography to age in India.