Photography in India

Book excerpt: India has one of the richest and most extensive histories of photography in the world with the camera arriving in the country only a few year after its invention in Europe. Organized chronologically, this book covers over 150 years of photographs, divided into ten chapters which focus on themes and genres such as archaeology and ethnography, portraiture, photojournalism, social documentary, street photography, modernism, and contemporary art. An in-depth introduction and ten short essays contextualize the photographs in light of India's journey from colonial territory, to independent nation state, to global economic superpower, along the way suggesting new arguments as to how this has been reflected in photographic practice. Over 100 Indian as well as international photographers are included in this well-researched and engaging book that includes some of the country's most iconic images, alongside the work of lesser-known artists and a wealth of previously unpublished material.