User:Nalla.bharath

Among the many Indian pictorial photographers, one man, who is distinct due to his style, versatility and mastery over photographic art and technique, is Mr. B. Rajan Babu. His pictures are radiate light. His images draw the viewer into its mood and pass on its emotional content creating a lasting impression of ecstasy.

His celebration of life has a humble beginning. During his five-year course at Govt. Diploma in Commercial Art, GDCA, at College of Fine Arts & Architecture, Hyderabad, he was introduced to pictorial photography by his guru and mentor Sir Raja Triambak Raj Bahadur, ARPS, who was one of the pioneers of pictorial photography in India. After completing his studies in commercial art with distinction Rajan Babu joined same college as a faculty in photography and taught for 11 years. The College later became Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU).

In 1970, during his tenure in JNTU, Hyderabad he got his first international photography honors, Artiste Federation internationale de l’ Art photographique, (AFIAP), of Belgium for his outstanding portfolio of photographs. After serving ICRISAT as senior scientific photographer for one year producing Audio-visual programmes on agriculture, he opened his own studio in 1978 at Hyderabad. During his professional work, the enthusiastic amateur in him created some of the rarest masterpieces in pictorial photography which brought him the prestigious international photography honors – Associate ship and Fellowship of Royal Photographic Society, England, (ARPS & FRPS), in 1983 and in 1987 respectively. He has chosen the challenging and tough subject ‘Nude in Nature’ for his fellowship thesis, because for Rajan Babu, to see aesthetics in humen body is the highest order of art. His study of the Nude reflects his concept of expression of the sacredness of the human form harmoniously blending with the beauty and spirit of divine splendor of the nature, which can be visualized only by the gifted eyes. The work of Rajan Babu is a very valuable guide for the photo-artists and painters who need to see the aesthetics in the contours of human body.

During his fellowship, Royal Photographic Society invited him to England to receive the honor personally, which he had obliged humbly and made a trip to England. As he is the only Fellow of Royal Photographic Society from the state, A.P. State Akademi of Photography conferred upon him its Honorary Fellowship, (Hon. FAPSAP), in1991. In 1998, he was awarded with the Service Honors of India International Photographic Council, New Dilhi, (APIIPC), for his yeomen service for the development of photography.

His excellence in the art and technique of photography made him an outstanding industrial photographer and brought prestigious clients such as NMDC, ECIL, Vizag Shipyard, AP Dairy Development Corp., etc. His pioneering project work on irrigation for international Dutch organization WALAMTARI and another project on primary education for British Council brought him international fame.

He had organized many thematic exhibitions and produced several audio-visual programs. He was invited to set-up several one-man shows and conducted many photographic workshops. In fact, he is the only one who introduced the photography workshop culture in the state of Andhra Pradesh. His photography workshops were aimed at guiding the beginners and inspiring the advanced. During 1998 he had conducted a unique workshop with the theme ‘Faces of Hyderabad’. Twenty-four delegates were hand picked for the workshop and were motivated to work on the topic and finally an exhibition on the subject was organized at JNTU, Hyderabad. He had organized many national and regional photography conventions and was declared as the ‘Man of the Convention’ for organizing the 15th Federation of Indian Photography National Convention at Hyderabad in 1991.

His interest in nature and natives led him to make regular pilgrimages to Araku Valley for over 30 long years and made him to photograph the ethnic character of tribal life in its purest form. His tribal studies are in the permanent collection of Tribal Welfare Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh.

On popular demand he started Rajan’s School of Photography from which many talented photographers came out and are making flourishing careers in India and abroad. Finally, the President ship of Photo Circle, Hyderabad and Secretary ship of AP State Akademi of Photography complete the picture of his obsession and commitment to photography.

He believes that the pictures of a photographer shall always reflect the experience of the artist and the images shall be as distinct as his signature.

He was born on 9th February 1939, at Koratla of Karimnagar district in Andhra Pradesh and proving to the world that success in work and life is an amalgam of humility, discipline and dedication.