Sunil Janah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sunil Janah
Born	Sunil Janah (1918-04-17)17 April 1918 Assam, India
Died	21 June 2012(2012-06-21) (aged 94) Berkeley, California, USA
Nationality	Indian (former) American
Known for	1943 Bengal famine coverage

Sunil Janah (born April 17, 1918 – died June 21, 2012) was a famous photographer from India and America. He worked in India during the 1940s. He was known for taking pictures that told stories.

Sunil Janah took photos of many important events in India. He showed India's fight for independence and the lives of farmers and workers. He also photographed sad events like famines and riots. His pictures captured rural life, tribal communities, and how cities and industries grew quickly. He is most famous for his photos of the terrible Bengal famine of 1943.

The Indian government honored him with the Padma Bhushan award in 2012. This is a very high award for citizens.

Sunil Janah's Life and Photography

Sunil Janah was born on April 17, 1918, in a place called Dibrugarh, in Assam, India. But he spent most of his childhood growing up in Kolkata. He went to St. Xavier's College, Kolkata which was part of the University of Calcutta. While in college, he became interested in politics and joined student groups that wanted to bring change to society.

A leader named Puran Chand Joshi, who was a communist politician, encouraged Sunil Janah to become a photographer. He suggested Janah stop studying English and focus on photography instead.

Documenting the Bengal Famine

Sunil Janah traveled to Bengal with another artist, Chittaprosad Bhattacharya. They went there to photograph the terrible damage and suffering caused by the Bengal famine of 1943. Their pictures showed the harsh reality of the famine to the world.

After this, Janah moved to Bombay with Bhattacharya. There, he joined groups like the Progressive Writers Association and the Indian People's Theatre Association. These groups used art to talk about social issues.

Awards and Recognition

Sunil Janah also helped start the Calcutta Film Society. He received two important awards from the Indian government for his work. He was given the Padma Shri in 1972 and the Padma Bhushan in 2012.

People admired his photographs for their beauty and how well they were taken. But more importantly, his pictures are valuable because they show important historical moments. They also connect with people's feelings.

He was especially known for his powerful photos of the Bengal famine of 1943.

Capturing India's Journey

Sunil Janah's photos were often featured in magazines like 'People's War' and 'People's Age'. He dedicated a whole page to his photo stories. He showed the everyday lives of ordinary people and their struggles. He photographed working people, like those rowing boats, catching fish, or working in coal mines.

He also captured images of men and women working in their homes and fields. He even photographed tribal people carrying bows and arrows. His pictures showed farmers and workers marching in protests. He also photographed revolutionaries from Telangana. Through these photos, he helped share the ideas and goals of the Communist Party with many people.

Janah also took portraits of famous leaders and thinkers. These included Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Sheikh Abdullah, Faiz, and J. Krishnamurthi.

A photographer and art expert named Ram Rahman said that Janah's work is a huge and important record. It shows the last ten years of India's fight for freedom and the first ten years after India became independent. He called Janah a "chronicler of the 'Nehruvian' years," meaning he documented the time when Jawaharlal Nehru was India's first Prime Minister.

Later Life and Passing

Sunil Janah passed away on June 21, 2012. He was at his home in Berkeley, California, and died of natural causes. He is survived by his son, Arjun, who lives in Brooklyn, New York.