Advertisment

Raghu Rai, Legendary Indian Photographer, 1942–2026

The legendary Indian photojournalist, Raghu Rai, has died aged 83

The Art Journal27 April, 2026

Raghu Rai. Photo: instagram.com/@raghurai_official

The legendary Indian photojournalist, Raghu Rai, has died aged 83.

Born in Jhang in British India (Pakistan after partition) Rai initially studied civil engineering before following the footsteps of his older brother to become a photographer. In 1966 Rai began his career at The Statesman. In 1968 he joined India Today, where he produced one of his best known projects covering the 1984 chemical disaster at Bhopal. Over his career spanning six decades, Rai published over 30 books on his documentary works.

In 1977, Rai was nominated a member of Magnum Photos by Henri Cartier-Bresson, after the latter saw Rai’s exhibition at Gallery Delpire in Paris in 1972. The exhibition showcased his work on the 1971 India-Pakistan War and the plight of Bangladeshi refugees. The first Indian photographer associated with Magnum Photos, Rai remained involved in the agency until his death.

Share:
FacebookTwitter

News

King's Library Tower at the British Library by Sam Walton

British Library Announces New CEO

The recently departed head of the UK Space Agency has been announced as the British Library’s new chief executive, as the institution emerges from a turbulent period and announces a new partnership with Netflix

The Art Journal
Advertisment
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Photo: Iwan Baan, courtesy of the Lucas Museum

A New Hope for George Lucas’s $1 Billion Museum

 Far more than a home for Star Wars, George Lucas and Mellody Hobson’s new Los Angeles museum brings fine art, comics, illustration, photography and cinema together under the banner of ‘narrative art’

The Art Journal
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, courtesy of the Library of Congress

Washington DC’s Kennedy Center Risks Fiscal Collapse

Internal documents obtained by The Washington Post warn that the Kennedy Center faces “fiscal collapse” within weeks, after ticket sales and fundraising plunged amid upheaval following Donald Trump’s takeover

The Art Journal