The Light Within- A Different Vision of Life

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About the Book Sipra Das a leading Indian photojournalist who explored aspects phases of Indian life, history and politics with an unfailing detail. She with India Today magazine more than two decades, covering major political news, the politicians, and historically important events. She is currently working with daily newspaper, Sakalbela. of Arts in Islamic History from the University of Calcutta, she is an Associate of the Department of Photojournalism of the Royal Photographic Society, UK. Beginning her career during the early 1980s, she first worked with the Anandabazar Patrika group and then with the Aajkaal newspaper in Kolkata. She joined the Press Trust of India (PTI) in 1987. She developed the PTI photo service in Kolkata before moving to New Delhi to take charge of the news agency's national photo coverage. Amid the hurly burly of news photography that has seen her travel to trouble spots and disaster zones in various parts of India in search of images of historic worth, she found time to document the lives of the visually challenged all across the country. She has been shooting photographs for this book for well over a decade.

Foreword Sipra Das had a heart in place of the lenses on her camera. Those who see and feel the faces with their fingers, have an inner lens to see with their hearts. Sipra has the same.

Mr. Jawahar Kaul, visually handicapped is the principal of the "All India Confederation of the Blind". He said: "You can see with your eyes, but cannot see with your heart, as we can." But Sipra sees with both.

After going through the photographs of Sipra Das, the life seems so normal with the fisherman Misri Sahani, Safat Ali Hasan, Riyazuddin, the motorcycle mechanic, that I felt my own capabilities were so less, lacking, and handicapped. Nemal Das's real life is stranger than Munshi Premchand's fiction. Vispy Mirza, leaves you amazed at his attitude of a perfectionist. God played foul with him, by giving him an imperfect physique. I am in touch with a number of such sightless people from Arushi in Bhopal. I have known them from close. Their personalities have flowered out very well. Prof. Rohit Trivedi for example teaches literature in a girls' college in Bhopal. He has completed a thesis on Girish Karnad's plays recently.

Sipra's book helps you to see them as a part of your normal world. Our attitude must change. They are surrounded by darkness outside, but they all have a light within.

Her book enlightened me and I hope it will enlighten you all as well.

**Contents and Sample Pages**