Acclaimed photographer Raghu Rai, who documented Bangladesh's Liberation War, dies at 83

His images of Bangladesh’s Liberation War and modern India helped build one of the most enduring visual records of the subcontinent

Raghu Rai, the celebrated Indian photographer who became part of Bangladesh’s history through his images of the Liberation War, has died at the age of 83.

He passed away at a private hospital in New Delhi on Sunday after a long battle with cancer.

Rai, whose work chronicled India’s social, political and cultural transformation over several decades, built “one of the most extensive visual records of modern India”, according to India Today.

His photographs were known for capturing the “extraordinary in the ordinary”, the magazine said.

News of his death was confirmed in a post on his official Instagram account, which featured a black-and-white portrait in the style for which he was widely known.

Born on Dec 18, 1942 in Jhang, now in Pakistan, Rai was mentored by French humanist photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson.

He gained international recognition in 1977 when he was nominated to join Magnum Photos.

Over the years, Rai documented both defining historical events and scenes of everyday life. His work included photographs of the aftermath of the Bhopal gas disaster, as well as widely recognised portraits of Mother Teresa and Indira Gandhi.

“His photographs of Indian streets and the Ganges are often cited as enduring representations of the country’s identity,” India Today said.

Rai is survived by his wife, Gurmeet Rai, and four children. His body was to be cremated at Delhi’s Lodhi Road cremation ground at 4pm.

Tributes poured in after news of his death broke.

Photographer Atul Kasbekar described him as “quite simply, the greatest to ever hold a camera from our country”, adding that his death marked the “end of an era”.