Homai, you will be missed!

Homai Vyarawalla, the 'grand old dame of Indian photojournalism', passed away Sunday leaving behind six decades of memories captured through her 35mm. She was 98.

Old-timers and colleagues remember her as a tough, yet warm and composed lady treading her own path in a male-dominated profession. 

Pranlal Patel, a senior photographer from the state last met Homai three years ago at Sardar Bhavan. The veteran photographer remembers her with much awe, someone with utmost humility, contended with whatever she had. Pranlal recounts an incident where Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel appreciated her work and the person that she was. "He (Sardar Patel) called her 'Gujarati Parsi ladki'," recollects Pranlal.

Apart from colleagues, Homai had a rapport with politicians of yesteryears as well. She was close to the Nehru family, capturing Jawaharlal Nehru in his family sphere. "She didn't believe in showing our national leaders in a bad light," says Deepak J Mathew, faculty at National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad.

She will also be remembered by budding photographers and some veterans too. "I met her in 1994 when I was a student in Baroda. She came across a simple, non-complaining woman, the way Parsis are! She drove her Fiat all by herself," reminisced Mathew.

Photography students in NID recently finished a student project on her. Interestingly, Homai's interviews for this project are perhaps the last she gave. Her works have been chronicled in this paper. "Just two days ago, we were talking about her (Homai) when we were discussing history of Indian photography in class," said Mathew.

Director of Creative Institute of Film and Photography, Abin Alex, fondly remembers Homai's support for his work. He met her during his central jail programme. "She said that photography was dying. It was no longer being used to spread a message," said Alex. Mihir Gokhale, a student of the institute recollects, "We had asked her the reason why she had not clicked Gandhi so much. She had clicked Nehru a lot. She replied it is because Gandhi was always traveling."

He also shared an anecdote which Homai had told them. Earlier, she had old heavy box cameras. A Sardarji from Delhi saw her discomfort and built her an adjustable tripod. The tripod is still in her house.

Gokhale had met Homai last month to invite her for the Central Jail programme. "She had pain in her knees and couldn't come for the event and even apologized for it," said Gokhale. NID, too, had invited her for a conclave on Indian Photography scheduled for February 1-2. "Her health failed her to come for the event," said Mathew.