At the Andrei Stenin International Press Photo Contest, held at AIFACS (All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society), the space was enlivened with soft murmur. Viewers gazed intently at 65 evocative photographs, shortlisted from over 3,000 entries from 36 countries sent in 2024 by photojournalists from across the world.
Founded in 2014 by Russian state-owned media group Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency under the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, the contest is named after Andrei Stenin, an esteemed Russian photojournalist who died in the line of duty in Ukraine in 2014. “Many photographs of photojournalists do not find a place in print. They go unnoticed. This (competition) is a rare occasion when you see their talent. On display are photographs of war, peace, adventure, culture, history, and more. The exhibition is a way to encourage interaction between photojournalists, the creative community, artists and viewers,” said Navneet Kumar Sehgal, chairman of Prasar Bharati, at the public address.
Alexander Shtol, executive director of the photo contest, said that photography is a “universal language” between nations. “It has become a means of communication in the modern world. In 2024, our competition selected thousands of photographs from 36 countries. This exhibition presents the shortlisted pictures from India, Russia, Spain, Syria, Italy, China, South Africa, amongst others, portraying the most relevant topics in a rapidly changing world.”
From the headlines
The photographs were presented in four categories. The Top News section included important events in the life of individuals and nations as a whole, emphasising both political and social events, as well as clicks from war zones, natural disasters, and other decisive moments in people’s lives. A photograph by Karam Al-Masri from Syria was a case in point. Titled ‘Never-Ending Tragedy’, it portrayed a woman in despair, standing amidst the rubble of her house in Jindires, near Aleppo, after a devastating earthquake. In another image, ‘Struggle for Existence’, India’s Apratim Pal clicked water pollution, showing several layers of froth generated from toxic waste discharged into a river as fishermen set out to catch fish in it. Another picture by India’s Kaushik Dutta, spotlighted the Balasore train tragedy of June 2023 when a tragic train clash claimed 290 lives and left thousands injured. The photograph captured the accident with a derailed carriage. “It’s very moving to observe these photographs. And in the imperfect world that we live in, it is still so important to show these visual narratives which is why many of us do this job,” said Rishabh Gulati, editor-in-chief of NewsX who was the guest of honour. He added, “If you look at the photographs, it would seem that India is about pollution, train accidents, cows and poor people but India is also a country of space launches, grand highways, art, beauty, history and civilisational heritage. But we need photographers, filmmakers, and artists to tell these critical stories. It’s important to tell the stories of every ordinary folk.”
Indian photojournalists Rajendra Pandey, Arpan Basu Chowdhury, and Dipayan Bose were among those who shone at the contest, winning awards and jury mentions in several categories. “The main goal of the competition is to support young photojournalists. Indian photojournalists are among the most active in the competition and are repeatedly the winners, year after another,” said Shtol.
“This contest establishes itself as a symbol of courage for those who want to tell the truth and promote fair and professional journalism,” underlined Roman Babushkin, minister of counsellor and deputy chief of mission at the Russian embassy in India.
Other categories
The Sports category had entries capturing victories of athletes as well as dramatic losses. The My Planet category covered a range of topics — from the timeless beauty of nature, to life in big cities, small towns and people observing religious holidays. The My Portrait section threw light on the unsung heroes of our time with portraits revealing the inner world of characters. For instance, in Pandey’s ‘The Outcast Widows’ he captured close ups of Vrindavan widows who were expelled from home and mistreated by their families. The creases on their forehead and sunken cheeks carve a story of despair on their faces while their silent lips pressed together seem to show words they had suppressed, wallowing in grief.
Some entries in the The Top View category also caught our eye. It presented a bird’s eye view of plants, animals, city-life, people, and even abstract imagery. For instance, in Russian photojournalist Sergei Alekseyev’s ‘Light For The World’ photograph that was full of colour, an aerial view of everyday life at the St Petersburg Theological Academy had been shot. It showed how ritualistic traditions anchor various communities across the globe. “This contest establishes itself as a symbol of courage for those who want to promote fair and professional journalism,” said Roman Babushkin, minister of counsellor and deputy chief of mission at the Russian Embassy in India.
“Our future depends on young photojournalists who portray not just critical themes like climate change, poverty, social inequalities, war, but also the faces of common people — exhibiting the beauty of humanity. The exhibition unites people from across borders through photographs,” said Olga Dycheva, chief representative in India for Sputnik News, during the event.