Celebrated photojournalist Raghu Rai passes away at 83

His work, marked by emotional depth and narrative precision, has been widely exhibited and published across the world

by e4m Staff
Published: Apr 26, 2026 8:13 AM | 1 min read

Renowned Indian photojournalist Raghu Rai passed away at the age of 83, confirmed by family members.
Rai was influential in shaping modern visual storytelling in India, with a career spanning over five decades.
He began his photography journey in the 1960s, becoming chief photographer at The Statesman and later contributing significantly to India Today.
Rai was nominated to Magnum Photos in 1977 by Henri Cartier-Bresson and received numerous awards, including the Padma Shri in 1972, for his impactful work documenting India's social and cultural evolution.

Renowned Indian photojournalist Raghu Rai passed away on Sunday at the age of 83, bringing to a close a career that helped define modern visual storytelling in India.

Rai’s passing was confirmed by family members, marking the loss of one of the country’s most influential photographers whose work chronicled India’s social, political and cultural evolution over more than five decades.

Born in 1942 in Jhang, now in Pakistan, Rai began his journey in photography in the 1960s and rose to prominence as chief photographer at The Statesman. He later played a pivotal role at India Today, where his evocative imagery helped shape the visual language of Indian journalism.

Rai’s global stature was cemented when he was nominated to join Magnum Photos in 1977 by the legendary Henri Cartier-Bresson, a rare honour that underscored his artistic and journalistic excellence.

Over the years, his lens captured some of India’s most defining moments, including the aftermath of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, as well as intimate portraits of iconic figures such as Mother Teresa and Dalai Lama. His work, marked by emotional depth and narrative precision, has been widely exhibited and published across the world.

In recognition of his contribution to photography, Rai was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972, among several other national and international honours.