Posted on 19 August 2026:
World Photography Day Celebrated at ADTU with Screening of Raghu Rai Documentary and Charukamal Hazarika’s Reflections on the Art of the Lens
Assam down town University turned its gaze toward the timeless art of photography on August 19, as the Photography Club of ADTU marked World Photography Day with a programme that blended reflection, celebration and cinema.
The occasion brought together photographers, academicians, and students in a shared tribute to an art form that continues to shape how society sees and remembers itself. Presiding over the gathering as chief guest was noted photographer and filmmaker Charukamal Hazarika, whose distinguished standing in Indian cinema lent the occasion a quiet gravity. In words that set the tone for the evening, he observed —
“A photograph does not merely capture human emotions and feelings; it also preserves the signature of a society and its time.” The remark captured the spirit of the day — a reminder that behind every frame lies not just a fleeting moment, but a fragment of history waiting to be read.
Hazarika spoke at length about his enduring relationship with the camera, tracing the arc of his creative journey and the experimental instincts that have defined his body of work. He offered the audience a rare glimpse into one of his most significant photographic undertakings — a project born decades ago, during his student years at Dibrugarh University. There, he had curated an exhibition of 71 photographs, each frame deliberately conceived so that, woven together, they told a single unbroken story. That early vision has since found new life: Hazarika recently digitised the collection and reimagined it as a short film titled Purbarag, which was screened for the first time before the ADTU audience during the programme — a poignant bridge between memory and medium.
Beyond his address, Hazarika engaged directly with students, fielding questions on photography, visual storytelling, and the personal experiences that have shaped his craft — an exchange that added an intimate, conversational dimension to the day’s proceedings.
The celebration also featured a special screening of Hearing Through the Eyes–a documentary exploring the life and philosophy of eminent Indian photographer Raghu Rai. Produced by the Films Division of India in collaboration with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the film offered viewers a contemplative look at one of the country’s most influential photographic voices.
Adding further depth to the occasion was the presence of photographers Prabhakar De and Samrat Sinha, Professor Atanu Kumar Choudhury, Oil Corporation official Jamuna Sharma, and ADTU faculty members Utpal Datta and Trinkul Kalita, among other distinguished guests.
Together, they also felicitated the winners of the photography competition organised by the club to commemorate the day, recognising fresh talent within the university community.
The program was anchored by Risha Kashyap, whose graceful compering tied together an evening that stood as both a celebration of photography’s artistic legacy and an invitation to the next generation to keep looking — and looking closely — at the world around them.
