Nehru Was A Fine Muse To India’s First Female Photojournalist

Textbooks and written accounts of India’s freedom struggle have been our source of information since we were in school, and as we grow older, that wealth of information expands. The rigid binds of textbook data become more fluid as we explore the various perspectives of history, and our opinion gains more legs to stand on, or at least we’re forced to question things more. While written accounts are abundant, visual accounts are fewer and far between.

The first female photojournalist  of our country, Homai Vyarawalla, captured the great political influences, freedom fighters and world leaders of 20th century India. And, as her black and white legacy traces our history, she always maintained that Pandit Nehru was her favourite muse. She captures him amidst fellow politicians, as the Casanova he was famous for being, and among children, thus framing the different sides of Nehru that resonate with the image and personality he was known for. Complimenting him for being extremely photogenic, her unbiased lens captured his personal life over many years - a photography series we can scroll through today.

(left to right) The Dalai Lama, Pandit Nehru and Zhou En Lai in 1956, Image Source: Homai Vyarawalla Archives, Alkazi Collection of Photography

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