A chance encounter with an old issue of a photography magazine at a pavement vendor’s in Mumbai and the influence of Parisian blind photographer Evgan Bavcar is what brought The Blind With Camera to life. Illuminating dark lives with a ray of hope, the non-profit organisation is more than just a propagation of the founder, Partho Bhowmick’s passion for photography.

Battling their inability and frustration, the students soon developed faith in the possibilities open to them and subsequently, confidence. Buoyed by the feeling of being part of a reality that seemed unfeasible, innate desires are often mirrored in images, whether it is Bhavesh Patel’s interest in movies portrayed by the storyboard-like series of pictures, or the rhythmic quality of Mahesh Umrania’s images reflecting his dream of becoming a reputed sitar player. A solicitor capturing moments in more ways than one, Kanchan Pamnani is the only woman part of the enterprise. “That is by default and not by design, though. I’m planning to start workshops in other cities as well, as soon as I find a clone of myself,” chuckles Bhowmick. “I eagerly look forward to having greater participation by female photographers.” A recent recipient of the Karamveer Puraskar – National Award for Social Justice and Citizen Action, 2009, he leaves you with the thought that is it merely a “recognition of what little I have done and what more I aspire to achieve.”

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