PHOTO ESSAYS
Stories told through light.
Both Dancer and Sex Worker
The Bedia women of Kareila, and a stigma that outlasts the dance.
DEAF GAIN
I visited the Noida Deaf Society (NDS), a not-for-profit founded by Ruma Roka and witnessed "Deaf gain" or deafness not as a medical problem to be fixed but as a form of cognitive, cultural, and human diversity that offers strengths to individuals and to society. Spending time with the children who live this, and documenting their resolve, taught me a great deal.
THE TRAGEDY OF A LEGENDARY ELEPHANT
Thechikottukavu Ramachandran — sixty-four years old, affectionately known as Raman — is one of the tallest domesticated elephants, and the undisputed king of Pooram temple festivals in Kerala. He has an almost occult persona, a cult-like following, and is considered a living deity by many. Thousands gather just to catch a glimpse of his majestic presence, and his appearance alone commands a fortune — in excess of a million rupees — to headline major cultural pageants. Raman remains a cash machine, the subject of high-stakes court battles over his custody and ownership. He has become the most potent symbol of the widening rift between ancient cultural tradition and modern animal welfare.
PRIYA SHARMA: THE FIGHTER CAT WOMAN
Priya Sharma aka Cat Woman, 35, is a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter — trained in disciplines like wrestling, jiu-jitsu, boxing, and Muay Thai — who has represented India on the global stage many times over. She was the first Indian to compete at Road TO UFC, as well as at JCK in China and SFT in Brazil, among others. True to her name, I could sense clinking her picture, she embodies feline energy: independence, intuition, grace, and strength. She discovered MMA when she was 20 years, it was a reality show—the Super Fight League Challengers. She wanted in — and wanted to be good enough to represent her country. For a girl from a middle-class family, this was an absurd ambition, and her family didn't initially support it. But her mind was made up, and she trained in secret. While working a day job in IT, she competed in 2015 and lost — proof, to her, that a part-time approach wouldn't get her to the top. So, she quit her job and chased the sport with singular focus. Money was tight, but she didn't lose heart, and slowly, things began to turn. In 2018, she won the Singapore Open BJJ. Priya turned professional in 2019, landing support from the Fairtex Training Center in Thailand — and the rest, as they say, is history. Losing her father, a day before an important fight, broke her inside. It was difficult to start afresh. Six years later, she found love. In 2025, she began training with Prateek, owner of Vajra Martial Arts; the two later married, and he's been a steady pillar of support since. “I want to compete,” she says. She is busy shedding 15 kilograms for the next fight. Her career remains an inspiration. As she puts it: "If you have a dream, don't hide it. Fight for it."
FRADISH IS THE MASTER OF HER DESTINY
Fradish, a Muslim and the youngest of five siblings, was assigned male at birth but was never comfortable with her biological gender. After much struggle, she told her family about her decision to transition and embrace her identity as a transgender woman. This happened ten years ago. Hers is a conservative, middle-class family from Faridabad, and it took them a while to accept her; they may never fully reconcile with it. However, they know very well that Fradish is the master of her own destiny. Fradish is independent, lives alone, and fends for herself; the family doesn't object as long as she contributes to running the household. Success followed a long phase of uncertainty, but she never doubted her chosen path. Fradish, 28, is one of the most celebrated drag performers at Kitty Su—an iconic queer nightlife destination in Delhi. Her day job is with an NGO, where she works as a project manager. She understands her family's predicament; they are conditioned by a normative way of life. She, on the other hand, is free and ready to embrace the new—she relishes uncertainty and revels in the unpredictability of life. Not everyone can be as bold and assertive as her. Despite the challenges, Fradish harbours no bitterness. Her inner strength guides her path. "God has always been kind to me, and I have no complaints," she asserts. "I'm my own best counsellor," she adds with a smile.
APSARA: DANCE IS A MODE OF SELF-EXPRESSION
The real name of Apsara is Ujjwal Singh. A bright young person, ambitious, wanting to do well and lead a life that makes the best sense to them — free from normative constraints. A professional dancer, they're a multifaceted artist who also writes poetry, giving expression to their inner urge to break free; creativity, to them, is a potent mode of self-expression. (Gender-neutral pronouns: she/her → they/them is used). They are forthright and resilient, about their being and about life in general. Their confidence stems from their state of mind — there are hardly any ambiguities in the way they think. To make a living, and with much passion, they work as a drag queen performer. They're a complete package: attire, appearance, storytelling, dancing — all of it gives them a strong stage presence. It's a blessing when passion becomes a source of livelihood. Their journey to self was a challenging one, and it's made them resilient and confident. They actively participated in the recently concluded student movement led by the Cockroach Janta Party, and were perhaps one of the very few transgender people who came out in full support of it. Their presence was noticed and extensively reported in the media — and through that, their family learned how they identify, as did everyone else around them. The family felt compelled to show them the door; the social stigma, to the family, was too much to bear. Beyond their family's rejection, they also had to face bullying, trolling, and harassment on social media. They didn't let the negativity, or others' misplaced judgment, define them — they remain dignified in their relentless pursuit of their own destiny. Some friends stood by them through these testing times and helped them "rebuild myself," they say — they've become their chosen family. "They celebrated me as I am," they say, "and the rest don't matter."
BORN IN THE BROTHEL
Many prostitutes bear a child or two. They are the children of the illegitimate fathers, have a mother and many aunts, loved and cared f or; it feels like a joint family with hardly any adult male. A visual journey into their lives.
UNKEPT PROMISES
To escape persecution in the name of faith, the Hindu families from Pakistan crossed the border to India. They are hopeful for a bright future but it's not easy to exist in the stateless purgatory. They face a different kind of existential crisis in their adopted country. Lead picture: Fateh Singh adorn in tricolour.
BHANUMATI COULD BE INDIA’S FIRST TRANSGENDER SUPERMODEL
Behind the camera, Bhanu-mati became a diva; the transition was instant.
SHOOTER DADI
From Granny to Gunslinger: The Legend of Shooter Dadi.
THE OLDEST FATHER
Story of a man who became a father at the age of 94.
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