Szeeshan896 at 19:39, 25 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian photographic archive}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2015}}
'''Aditya Arya Archive''' is one of the earliest photographic [[archive]]s in [[India]], engaged in the digitizing, documentation, annotation, restoration and preservation of photographic material of archival significance in India.<ref name="adityaaryaarchive1">{{cite web|url=http://www.adityaaryaarchive.com/#/-about-archive/about-aditya-arya-archive |title=About Aditya Arya Archive |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130102122358/http://www.adityaaryaarchive.com/ |archivedate=2 January 2013 }}</ref><ref name="photoraj">{{cite web |url=http://www.photoraj.com/collections/aditya-arya-archive |title=Aditya Arya Archive |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311012144/http://www.photoraj.com/collections/aditya-arya-archive |archivedate=2012-03-11}}</ref> Aditya Arya Archive is led by Aditya Arya,<ref name="photoraj" /> who is an eminent commercial photographer.<ref name="fravahr1">{{cite web |url=http://www.fravahr.org/spip.php?breve669 |title=Indian history in a yellow crate of negatives |publisher=fravahr.org |accessdate=2013-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918105047/http://www.fravahr.org/spip.php?breve669 |archive-date=18 September 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==History==
The Aditya Arya Archive began with the historical collection of [[photojournalism|photojournalist]] [[Kulwant Roy]], presented to Aditya Arya.<ref name="adityaaryaarchive1"/> Roy (1914–1984) was among the handful of photojournalists in India who documented the eventful years immediately before and after [[Partition of India|independence]]. He was a close friend of the Arya family<ref name="tehelka1">{{cite news |last=Gadihoke |first=Sabeena |url=http://tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=hub081108croniclesof_india.asp |title=Chronicles of India Beginning |magazine=Tehelka |volume=5 |issue=44 |date=2008-11-08 |accessdate=2013-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222163743/http://www.tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=hub081108croniclesof_india.asp |archive-date=22 December 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> and left his surviving photographic [[negative (photography)|negatives]] and prints to Aditya Arya. These prints and negatives remained forgotten in boxes for nearly 23 years<ref name="cnngo1">{{cite web |last=Patel |first=Alisha |url=http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/none/visual-archives-kulwant-roy-529186 |title='History in the making': The visual archives of Kulwant Roy | CNN Travel |publisher=Cnngo.com |date=2010-04-13 |accessdate=2013-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913225129/http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/none/visual-archives-kulwant-roy-529186 |archive-date=13 September 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> after his death, until their inheritor Aditya Arya, began restoring and cataloguing them.<ref name="vedicbooks1">{{cite book |last1=Arya |first1=Aditya |last2=Kamtekar |first2=Indivar |title=History in the Making: The Visual Archives of Kulwant Roy |url=http://www.vedicbooks.net/history-in-the-making-the-visual-archives-of-kulwant-roy-p-15859.html |publisher=Vedic Books |isbn=9788172238681 |year=2010 |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref> The archive included many unpublished pictures of national leaders and events of the Indian pre and post-independence era<ref name="telegraphindia1">{{cite news |last=Hauzel |first=Hoihnu |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100516/jsp/graphiti/story_12450776.jsp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726192830/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100516/jsp/graphiti/story_12450776.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 July 2013 |title=Making history click |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=Calcutta |date=2010-05-16 |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref> and were brought to the public domain after the establishment of the Aditya Arya Archive.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pathak |first=Nilima |url=http://gulfnews.com/news/world/india/gandhi-s-story-in-photographic-detail-1.764140 |title=Gandhi's story in photographic detail |newspaper=Gulf News |location=Dubai |publisher=Al Nisr Publishing |date=2011-02-19 |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref>
One of the outcomes of the unearthing and restoration process of the archive was that many images from the last years of [[British Raj|British rule]] and the early decades after India's independence, which were reprinted over the decades and credited to random journalists, turned out to be Roy's work and have now been duly acknowledged. One of many such images is the iconic 1939 photograph of [[Mohandas K. Gandhi]] and [[Ali Jinnah]] in a heated argument, which has now been credited to Roy by Getty Images.<ref name="vedicbooks1"/>
Many historians believe that the archive may shed light on the key moments in India's [[Indian independence movement|independence movement]].<ref name="fravahr1"/>

==Rare and iconic images from the Aditya Arya Archive==
Aditya Arya Archive contains some rare and iconic images from the period of India's independence struggle and thereafter.<ref name="cnngo1"/> These include rare photographs of [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], Gandhi and [[Sardar Patel]] huddled in an animated discussion,<ref name="telegraphindia1"/> Mahatma Gandhi in debate with Mohd. Ali Jinnah, with whom he was seldom seen with, [[Jacqueline Kennedy]] sharing a laugh with Pt. Nehru, Pt. Nehru wearing khaki shorts heading to attend a Congress [[Seva Dal]] Volunteers rally in [[Kanpur]],<ref name="telegraphindia1"/> Pt. Nehru in [[cricket]] gear, the [[Indian National Army Trials]], Pt. Nehru bidding farewell to his grandson [[Rajiv Gandhi]] as he leaves for a tour,<ref name="tehelka1" /> [[Indian National Congress|Congress Party]] meetings, [[All-India Muslim League|Muslim League]] meetings,<ref name="tehelka1"/> Mahatma Gandhi's visit to the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier Province]], signing of the [[Constitution of India|Indian Constitution]], Mahatma Gandhi addressing the [[Indian National Army]] soldiers,<ref name="cnngo1"/> the [[Cripps' Mission]], a series documenting the development of the [[Bhakra Dam]] and photographs from the front of the [[Sino-Indian War]], etc.

==History in the making==
Taking a leap with the Kulwant Roy collection, the Aditya Arya Archive released a book, History in the making – The visual archives of Kulwant Roy, in April 2010. The book has been published in hardback by HarperCollins Publishers India Ltd.<ref name="cnngo1"/>

Aditya Arya and Indivar Kametkar worked together on the book for nearly three years, putting together text and images to form a compelling visual narrative.<ref name="cnngo1"/> It is a visual documentary on the history of India from the 1930s to 1950s and some of Kulwant Roy's original captions and the imprint of his own rubber stamp on several pages.<ref name="telegraphindia1"/> The forward has been written by India's Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.<ref name="cnngo1"/> [[File:Visual Archives of Kulwant Roy- Gandhi Collection 4.jpg|thumb|A [[India Photo Archive Foundation#Publications|collector's edition]] was launched titled 'Visual Archives of Kulwant Roy- Gandhi Collection by Aditya Arya Archive]]

==Book launch and exhibitions==
* The first exhibition of Kulwant Roy's work took place at Delhi's Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in October 2008.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Puri |first=Anjali |title=History on Bromide |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VTEEAAAAMBAJ&dq=aditya+arya+archive&pg=PA66 |journal=Outlook |location=New Delhi |volume=48 |issue=40 |pages=64–67 |date=2008-10-06 |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref>
* The Great Divide: India and Pakistan, a book which contained some images from the Kulwant Roy collection, was launched at the India International Center, New Delhi in May 2009.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Naqvi |first=Saeed |title=Looking Into The Abyss |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?250307 |journal=Outlook |location=New Delhi |volume=49 |issue=25 |date=2009-06-29 |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Malik |first=Rohit |url=http://www.delhievents.com/2009/05/book-launch-discussion-great-divide.html |title=BOOK ( Launch & Discussion ) "The Great Divide – India and Pakistan" edited by Ira Pande, at Main Building, IIC - 11th May 09 |publisher=Delhi Events |date=2004-02-26 |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref>
* An exhibition of photographs from History in the making – The visual archives of Kulwant Roy, was organized in collaboration with Indian Council for Cultural Relations and India Canada Association at three venues in Canada in June 2009: 5th Parallel Gallery, Riddell Center, University of Regina; George Bothwell Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina and Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://indiacanadasask.ca/content/rare-indian-photographs-visit-regina |title=Rare Indian photographs to visit Regina |publisher=India Canada Association of Saskatchewan |date=2009-06-02 |accessdate=2013-04-09 |archive-date=23 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123232947/http://indiacanadasask.ca/content/rare-indian-photographs-visit-regina |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dunlopartgallery.org/events/archives_2009.html |title=Past Events - 2009 |publisher=Dunlop Art Gallery |accessdate=2013-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123232947/http://www.dunlopartgallery.org/events/archives_2009.html |archive-date=23 January 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sfu.ca/archive-sfunews/news/story_06190901.shtml |title=Coming Up |work=SFU News Online |date=2009-06-19 |publisher=Simon Fraser University |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref>
* The Gandhi Memorial Center, Washington, D.C. held an exhibition of photographs from History in the making – The visual archives of Kulwant Roy, sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and in cooperation with the Indian Embassy of India in October 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gandhitopia.org/events/history-in-the-making-the |title=History in the Making: The Visual Archives of Photojournalist Kulwant Roy |work=GandhiTopia |publisher=GandhiServe Foundation |date=2009-10-14 |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref>
* Soon after the book launch of History in the making – The visual archives of Kulwant Roy, The Piramal Art Gallery at Mumbai's National Center for Performing Arts hosted an exhibition of Roy's works in April 2010.<ref name="cnngo1"/>
* Where Three Dreams Cross, 150 Years of Photography from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, at the Whitechapel Gallery in London in April 2011, displayed some selected images from the Kulwant Roy collection.<ref name="asianartnewspaper1">{{cite news|url=http://www.asianartnewspaper.com/article/where-three-dreams-cross |title=Where Three Dreams Cross |newspaper=Asian Art |location=London |date=2012-03-03 |accessdate=2013-04-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726134759/http://www.asianartnewspaper.com/article/where-three-dreams-cross |archivedate=26 July 2013 }}</ref>
* Book launch and exhibition of History in the making – The visual archives of Kulwant Roywas organized at Teen Murti, New Delhi in April 2010. Mrs. Gursharan Kaur, wife of India's Prime Minister, was invited as a special guest at the occasion.<ref name="asianartnewspaper1"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oneindia.com/2010/04/25/gursharankaur-dedicates-book-on-photojournalist-kulwantroy.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111155742/http://news.oneindia.in/2010/04/25/gursharankaur-dedicates-book-on-photojournalist-kulwantroy.html |url-status=live |archive-date=11 January 2013 |title=Gursharan Kaur dedicates book on photojournalist Kulwant Roy's works |work=Oneindia News |date=2010-04-25 |access-date=2013-04-09 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Mehra |first=Purva |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/Snapshots-of-history-when-the-camera-did-not-lie/Article1-525610.aspx |title=Snapshots of history when the 'camera did not lie' |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=2010-04-01 |accessdate=2013-04-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031160307/http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Mumbai/Snapshots-of-history-when-the-camera-did-not-lie/Article1-525610.aspx |archivedate=31 October 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref>
* History in the making – The visual archives of Kulwant Roy was launched at Mayfair's Nehru Centre, London by the High Commissioner of India in May 2010<ref>{{cite web|last=Villarreal |first=Ignacio |url=http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=38228 |title=Unpublished Images of India's History Recovered from Yellow Crates |publisher=Artdaily.com |date=2010-05-24 |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref>
* Book launch and exhibition of History in the making – The visual archives of Kulwant Roytook place at Morlaix France in September 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.letelegramme.com/local/finistere-nord/morlaix/ville/exposition-a-la-manu-l-inde-en-54-cliches-historiques-14-09-2010-1049224.php |title=Exposition à la Manu. L'Inde en 54 clichés "historiques" |work=Le Télégramme |language=French |date=2010-09-14 |accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.agglo.morlaix.fr/fr/agenda-des-manifestations.php?op=search&show=1&commune=0&dateDebut=20100903&dateFin=201 |title=Agenda des Manifestations |work=Morlaix Communauté: Agglomération |language=French}}{{dead link|date=April 2013}}</ref>
* An exhibition of Roy's works title 'The Visual Archives of Kulwant Roy' was held at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi which was inaugurated on 14 November 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://netindian.in/news/2012/11/15/00022047/ngma-displays-rare-photographs-kulwant-roy |title=NGMA displays rare photographs by Kulwant Roy |work=NetIndian |date=2012-11-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Shailaja |last=Tripathi |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/history-as-it-is/article4099692.ece |title=History as it is |newspaper=The Hindu |date=2012-11-16}}</ref>

==India Photo Archive Foundation==
One of the outcomes of the process of restoration of the historical photographic collections is the India Photo Archive Foundation, which was established in the year 2009.<ref name="telegraphindia1"/> The [[India Photo Archive Foundation]] is a Public Charitable Trust engaged in digitising, annotating, and preserving photographic archives.<ref>{{cite news |last=Arya |first=Aditya |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/life/article2814020.ece |title=History through her lens |newspaper=The Hindu Business Line}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{coord missing|India}}

[[Category:Photo archives in India]]

Aditya Arya Archive - Revision history

Szeeshan896 at 19:39, 25 March 2026