...of TNIE lensmen, who share their favourite clicks and the stories behind them for World Photography Day
MK Ashok Kumar
At the peak of the pandemic, family members, relatives and friends all came together to take care of affected patients. On one of my regular visits to the Tiruchy Government Hospital, I came across a health worker almost hugging an aged Covid patient, helping her to get admitted for treatment in wards. I saw this act of humanity from some distance, and immediately clicked to save the moment.
P Jawahar
This photo was taken during the eviction of slum dwellers at Govindasamy Nagar. This photograph shows a helpless mother sitting with her child and belongings, who has lost her fundamental right to shelter.
K K Sundar
On November 18, 2020, it was raining all over the state and we expected heavy rainfall in Madurai as well. I set out to capture the rain over the Meenakshi Amman Temple tower. As usual, the rain gods disappointed us with dry weather, but left beautiful black and white clouds looming over the temple towers. When the picture was published, the German Consul recognised it as the ‘picture of the week’ in a Twitter post.
Shiba Prasad Sahu
During the first wave, Ramalu had walked barefoot from Kanchipuram to the TN-Andhra border, where I met him. At the time, the border was blocked and so, he had to sleep in a hut close by instead. When you look at his feet in this picture, you can understand his pain and imagine the journey he must have embarked on.
V Karthikalagu
On June 5, I was seeking out photographs for daily assignments. The search ended when I saw a dry pond at Keelaseval, where many painted storks were searching for prey in the remaining water. When I stepped into the pond, many birds flew away but some still remained on the hunt, a moment I
managed to capture.
R Satish Babu
I came across this visual during Aadi month at a temple. I saw a young boy being forced by an elder to be pierced in alignment with his father’s beliefs. It’s one of the best pictures I have clicked, as it gives an insight into the humiliation of a child in the name of God. It was not his thoughts but the father’s imposed beliefs, which made him cry.
Ashwin Prasath
I shot this photograph at a funeral ground at St.Thomas Mount at the time of the first wave, when fear was at an all-time high among people. It was the time that many lost their lives. I saw a group of volunteers risking their lives and giving respectful last rites to the victims who had lost their lives to the virus. I heartily appreciated the volunteers who dared to serve even when they held no relations with the victim.
Debadatta Mallick
These are migrant workers from Andhra Pradesh, who were stranded at NH 16 Chennai-Srikakullam highway, under the scorching sun, on their return, after being denied entry into their native state. It shows despair, uncertainty and distress of a community; a community that builds our homes, apartments, roads, and a society that failed to provide them food, shelter and security at a time when they needed it most.
Sriram R
I was an intern at TNIE Chennai and scouting for unusual sights when I spotted this reflection of the Chennai Central Railway Station on the Central Metro façade. The shadow of Ripon Building could also be seen in the reflection, so it made a nice combination.
Martin Louis
This click at the Korattur Lake speaks volumes about the alarming ground water situation in Chennai. Those rearing cattle are the worst hit. In this image, an old woman was seen drawing water for her livestock from the abandoned well inside the dried up lake.
S Senbagapandiyan
In April 2020, a group of migrant labourers were returning to their homes after having lost their livelihoods to the lockdown. This picture evoked the pain of having one’s life thrown off-guard at the least expected moment, which is why it’s my favourite.