“There are always two people in every picture: the photographer and the viewer.” — Ansel Adams
Traditionally a blunt talker when in his professional gear, Colonel Anil Mehrotra has over the years taken out some time to train his camera to those crucial camera angles, positioned to capture an object at the right angle and moment. A man who donned a uniform that remained spotless, he trained guns as efficiently, as did he his shutter which has reached places far and wide capturing the mundane, magical, modern and the glamorous. Each shot speaking of a world that does not find space in the naked eye of a not so watchful lensman. A nearly 100 odd piece exhibition titled Nishabd at the Regional Lalit Kala Akademi, it shows Colonel Mehrotras attention to detail and love for portraiture and abstract compositions.
The scintillating thought provoking imagery was a set of photographs created by Colonel Mehrotra who has had a prolific career in the Indian Army as an officer. Colonel Mehrotra has served the nation with sincerity and total dedication. Someone recognised for his gallantry accomplishments. Photographers today make all the difference by picking the right subject, location and appropriate angles with the correct composition. Col Mehrotra has displayed masterly handling of his subjects. He has worked on a variety of themes bearing the shutterbugs imprint.
From scintillating abstracts, to human figures and poignant emotions, the shutterbug proves his finesse in capturing portraits of daily life captivating streets on reel like never before. An inclination towards natural colours, moments to be freezed on camera across the globe and clever play with light typify the ethos of the exhibition on for around 6 days. A tinge of the divine and the mystical matching strides with the mundane too catches the fancy of the viewer.
Colonel Anil Mehrotra, a retired vice president and life member Museums Association of India is a Life member, Lucknow Camera Club. Having helmed 3 solo photography exhibitions at Lalit Kala Academy, Aliganj Lucknow, the event was inaugurated by her Excellency the governor of UP. As a man of the uniform, he has won the chief of Army staff commendation medals for gallantry and devotion to duty thrice. A bronze medal for the International photography competition at Cyprus Greece.
A recipient of senior research fellowship in visual photography 2016 – 2017 from CCRT, Ministry of culture Government of India, he has time and again proven himself in national/ International photo salons and competitions. Commissioned in Indian Army artillery in 1975, he was selected for military intelligence in 1983 serving the motherland for 25 years, when he took voluntary retirement in 2000. A service well noted, he served in militancy, insurgency and terrorism infested environments of Nagaland, Manipur, Rajauri, Punjab as well as army headquarters.
A lensman with a prolific stint, he turned his hobby into a passion and then into an obsession that has borne fruit, his contributions spread across 20 coffee table books. Having done exclusive photography for Indian Army and collaborated with historian Dr Rosy Lewellyn Jones and Dr Anita Das among others, his latest work is currently under print by Harpercollins.
He has left a mark on government projects like brochures of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India on India business opportunities, continuity in change and India at a glance. Adding to that are tourism brochures on Kashmir and Ladakh, Varanasi, Delhi, Agra, Mathura, Bharatpur and Lahaul Spiti. Apart from this, he contributed to the Encyclopaedia Britannica for the student section. In other photography and documentation works he associated with NGOs Swashakti, Uttar Pradesh Jharkhand, UNICEF, Plan India International, Asha and Shandar. He authored Veeron ki Dhani a book on history and martyrs of the Rajputana Rifles among others.
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