LIFESTYLE
He will continue to portray the dehumanising of Mumbai's conservancy workers for as long as he has a camera in his hand, photojournalist Sudharak Olwe, who has just been conferred the Padma Shri, tells Yogesh Pawar
In a foreword to Sudharak Olwe's celebrated anthology of photographs of Mumbai's conservancy workers In Search of Dignity And Justice, Ratan Tata called his "sensitive photography" an eye-opener. "It has captured and brought to our consciousness, the plight of a group of people we seem to have relegated to a collective blind spot," said the corporate captain. And it was this work that saw the Mumbai-based photojournalist being named for a Padma Shri for social work last week.
Olwe fell back on his signature self-effacing modesty in his reaction. "I'm merely capturing images. But imagine the plight of nearly 40,000 conservancy workers who live a life shorn of all dignity to keep our cities clean. I hope the fact that this award comes from the government also underlines a commitment to eliminating manual conservancy work."
Currently with the Lokmat group, Olwe has been a photojournalist with several media organisations, including dna. Most of us who have worked with him know him as an affable and friendly colleague who brings a signature style to his photography not only in the choice of subject but even in its treatment. This consistency about his work is as trademark as the crisp white shirts and blue jeans he's always seen in. While his camera has captured moving images of some of the biggest news and feature stories of our times, it is in his documentation of change and afflictions of society, that we see Olwe come into his own.
No wonder then that his work has been exhibited and published around the world. This recipient of the National Foundation Media Fellowship in India in 1999-2000 was the only photographer from India to be invited to exhibit his work at the World Press Photo exhibition, Amsterdam, for his work on gender and environment a year later.
In 2004, he published his first book, Spirited Souls: Winning Women of Mumbai. A year later, he was conferred the prestigious All Roads Photographers Award by National Geographic. This led to an exhibition of his work on conservancy workers of Mumbai in Washington DC.
This 2006 brand ambassador for Manfrotto, the global photography equipment major, had his work on conservancy workers exhibited and catalogued to create social awareness.
Whether representing India at the photography society of Japan, participating in the Noorderlicht Photofestival at Fries museum, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands or collaborating with international greats like German photographer Helena Schätzle, he's done it all.
Yet this Akola-born Maharashtrian carries all these achievements very lightly on his shoulders. "I come from really humble beginnings. When young, fed up of what I thought was a miserable life, I'd once run away from home to Hyderabad for a few months. There, as I lived on the streets, sleeping on shop fronts and pavements, I saw up-close acute poverty and misery of a kind I hadn't ever seen. Though it did teach me to count my blessings and look at what I had not what I didn't, it also inculcated a deep sense of empathy," says the 50-year-old.
Though he has had formal training in photography from the Sir JJ Institute of Applied Art (1986), and in Film and Video Production from Xavier Institute of Communication, he credits his time spent in Hyderabad for the way his photographs, irrespective of subject, veer to the human angle.
Olwe says he will continue to hold a mirror to society about its dehumanising of conservancy workers for as long as he has a camera in his hand. "It is my hope that our collective conscience as a society will help us break shackles of what is essentially slavery and untouchability in a new avatar."
We join the Padma awardee in his hope.
Mohammad Rizwan set to replace Babar Azam as Pakistan's ODI and T20I captain
Viral video: Little girl's adorable dance to 'Aayi Nai' impresses internet, watch
Gujarat: Vadodara man performs CPR to save snake's life, netizens say, 'Barodians can do anything'
Mukesh Ambani's brand forces Tata Group company to reduce its product price, revenue hit by...
DNA TV Show: Mumbai Police receives threat message seeking Rs 5 crore from Salman Khan
Shraddha Kapoor breaks silence over credit battle for Stree 2's success: 'I believe it was...'
Who is IAS Sanjeev Hans, arrested by ED in money laundering case?
Gautam Adani donates Rs 1000000000 to THIS Indian state for...
Mukesh Ambani's Jio Financial Services' profit rises by 3%, company earns Rs 6890000000 in...
Virat Kohli completes 9000 Test runs - Is he the fastest Indian to achieve this feat?
Karwa Chauth 2024: Check muhurat, moonrise timing in Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Patna other cities here
Salman Khan to import bulletproof SUV from Dubai after threats from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi
Apple's HR head resigns in less than 2 years marking another high-level departure under Tim Cook
60 guards and no one can leave the sets before it is over: How Salman Khan shoots for Bigg Boss 18
Karan Johar, Akshay Kumar join hands for a film inspired by…
Suresh Mansharmani - The Father of OKR is transforming SMEs of India
Meet world's 10 most beautiful women, including an Indian, not Aishwarya Rai, Alia Bhatt
Apple iPhone 16 under Rs 70000? THIS company is offering flat Rs 10000 discount, check details
Meet Bollywood actress who graduated from Harvard, wrote children’s books, did nude scenes in…
IND vs NZ, 1st Test: Virat Kohli falls on final ball of Day 3, India trail New Zealand by 125 runs
Pro Kabaddi League 2024 Live Streaming: When and where to watch PKL season 11 live on TV and online
Karwa Chauth 2024 Sargi timing: What you must include in your sargi thali?
SAT stays Rs 250000000 Sebi fine on Anil Ambani with one condition, asks him to...
Man was crossing railway track with phone glued to his face, watch video to know what happened next
Pioneering Business Intelligence at Cisco: The Visionary Leadership of Sagar Shukla
AAP leader Satyendar Jain walks out of jail, says, 'We will continue...'
Driving Innovation: Aravind Reddy Nayani's breakthrough in electric vehicle technology
From legacy systems to advanced analytics: The evolution of Devidas Kanchetti
Who is IPS Bhagyashree Navtake, Maharashtra cadre officer booked by CBI in Rs 1200 crore scam probe?
Meet IIT-JEE topper with 339 marks in JEE Advanced, went to IIT Bombay with AIR 1, now working as...
Virat Kohli's decision to not celebrate Rachin Ravindra's wicket sparks debate, know what happened
Watch: Radhika Merchant stuns in Rohit Bal lehenga at friend's wedding, dances to 'Sajna Ve Sajna'
PAK vs ENG: Pakistan beat England by 152 runs, register 1st Test win at home after 1348 days
Excel in finance and SAP integration-mastering an extraordinary journey of Dignesh Khatri
Revolutionizing Ad Technology: Arth Dave’s Leadership in Machine Learning-Driven Ad Recommendations
Redefining In-Store Shopping Experience: Krishnateja Shiva's impact on retail innovation
Vijay Bhaskar Kamireddy: Revolutionising machine learning with innovation and expertise
PM Modi to visit Russia next week to attend BRICS Summit in Kazan
Good news for Indian travellers as THIS country is now offering visa-on-arrival, check details
IPL 2025: 3 reasons why RCB might go in bidding war for New Zealand batter Rachin Ravindra
Key skills for successful web development career
6 important things to keep in mind before taking loan
Good news for Sadhguru as SC dismisses plea against Isha Foundation
Mukesh Ambani’s dream comes true as Reliance Jio beats Airtel, BSNL in...
Kunal Kamra reignites debate with Bhavish Aggarwal, says, 'Ola Electric hasn’t...'
IPL 2025: All teams possible retention list ahead of mega auction, CSK, RCB, MI will retain…
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar dead: List of top figures who may replace him
Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos have new 'job', they now work for...
Ex-India captain's clip goes viral amid India's batting disaster, fan says, 'he is trolling BCCI'
Meet people who will execute Ratan Tata's will, not Noel Tata, Jimmy Tata, they are...
US charges former RAW official for plotting to kill Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun
Byju's Raveendran finally BREAKS SILENCE on his rumoured move to Dubai amid legal tussle
What are Nita Ambani's lavish daily habits and how much does she spend in a day?
A company accidentally hired a North Korean cyber criminal and then…
Karisma Kapoor reveals this actress on Hum Saath Saath Hain set would sit alone, eat only…
Ratan Tata's neighbours share stories of everyday encounters with him, say he was...
Viral video: Internet can't stop gushing over this little girl's breathtaking dance, WATCH
THIS Gautam Adani company's shares are in spotlight as it raises Rs 42000000000 in...