Indian Photo Archive

TIMING

Monday to Saturday, 10:00 am to 06:00 pm excluding public holidays.

Need Help !
I hope this helps in making use of this Archive a little easier! If you have any questions, you are  than welcome to email me –anupamaverma@jgu.edu.in
ADDRESS

T 23/5, DLF Phase 3
Gurgaon, Haryana 122002

CONTACT DETAILS
Phone: +91-9810009099

Email: 

indiaphotoarchive@gmail.com

MAP
PREPARED BY:
Anupama Verma
Librarians

M Madhan

Anupama Verma

INTRODUCTION

Are you interested in knowing about the recent history of photographic treasures? We suggest you go through the Indian Photo Archive Foundation. You may find it more interesting.


 In today's digital age, it's easy to overlook the vast array of historical images from India—spanning political, social, personal, and developmental themes—that are often neglected in archives and private collections. These images capture the Indian struggle for independence, the early years of a free nation, industrial growth, royal and Raj-era moments, everyday life, sports, and significant events. They are crucial to our cultural heritage, offering insights into the past and context for the present.

The India Photo Archive Foundation seeks to identify, preserve, and document these photographic treasures. Its goals include restoring and digitizing photographs, annotating them, and making them accessible through exhibitions, publications, and online platforms. The Foundation aims to promote the use of these archives in education and cultural projects, foster discussions on the content and aesthetics of photography, and celebrate the evolution of photographic technology and art.
About
 
 
About:
In an age when digital information is all around, it’s easy to forget that great volumes of historical images of India—journalistic, political, personal, developmental and social—languish in neglect in institutions and homes. Images of the Indian struggle for independence. The early years as a free nation. The dawn of industrial India. Personal collections of royalty and the Raj. Pictures of the common people, of travel and leisure, events and festivities. Scintillating moments in sports. Records of marriage, births, deaths, mourning and celebration. These are not just testimonies of their times, they are invaluable sources of knowledge, an essential part of our cultural heritage, a gateway to understanding the past and acquiring a perspective on the present. The India Photo Archive Foundation has been established with a view to identify, preserve and document such photographic legacies. Towards this end, it aims to restore original photographs and negatives, digitise their contents, preserve, annotate and document them.
 
 The Foundation will encourage the use of such archives in educational, institutional and cultural endeavours. It will work to disseminate the works through exhibitions, publishing and the internet. In doing so, the India Photo Archive Foundation hopes to aid the development of a platform for amateur and professional photography over the ages. Encourage a wider discourse on the content, politics and aesthetics of photography, and contribute towards creating a culture of dialogue on diverse narratives of photographic archives that are treasured as documentary and artistic works, and as markers of the history of photographic technology and processes over time.


 
GRANTS


Neel Dongre (1944-2009) was one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country who took a keen interest in mentoring young people, encouraged them to dream, and helped them fulfill their ambitions. These awards are aimed at recognizing young emerging and active photo practitioners who demonstrate talent and the passion to communicate with visuals.
 
These Awards/Grants are meant for professional/non-professional photographers who have produced an ongoing/finished body of work in any genre of photography; Social Documentary, Photojournalism, Fine Art etc.
 
​The awards will be administered by a Managing Committee consisting of Urmila Dongre, Aditya Arya (Trustee), Premola Ghosh, Asha Rani Mathur, Gopika Chowfla, Parthiv Shah and eminent artists and designers will be invited to be on the committee.
COLLECTION
PUBLICATION


1. HISTORY IN THE MAKING: The Visual Archives of Kulwant Roy A priceless collection of photographs by press photographer Kulwant Roy from the 1930s to 1960s Press photographer Kulwant Roy's prints and negatives remained forgotten in boxes for over twenty-five years after his death, until their inheritor Aditya Arya, a photographer himself, began cataloging them. In the process, he discovered a rare and valuable visual archive, including many unpublished pictures, of a momentous era in India's history. Some of the rare visual documentation includes the Muslim League meetings, INA trials, the signing of the Indian Constitution, as well as significant post-Independence milestones such as the building of the Bhakra Nangal Dam. Enriched by an insightful text, written by historian Indivar Kamtekar, this book is a collector's item for anyone who wishes to discover the multilayered dimensions behind India's 'tryst with destiny

2. DRISHTI: 75 years of Indian Image Making The book ‘Drishti: 75 years of Indian image making’ is the publication of an exhibition held at Museo Camera in 2022, displaying the many colors of India upon completing 75 years of independence. From photojournalism, travel and culture, street, portrait, landscape, wildlife, advertising, architecture, conceptual, fine art, and many more types of photography, the images underline a uniquely Indian way of image making. Showcasing the work of 82 Indian photographers who all bring their own creativity and vision to the exhibit, Drishti attempts to capture the Indian gaze.

 3. A DOCTOR IN NEFA: A Visual Diary 'A Doctor In NEFA'- a unique visual diary of Col K C Kohli and his family's journey. With his 3-month pregnant wife and a young daughter of only one and a half years, he set on to follow an adventurous four years in a sparsely populated region of the North Eastern Frontier Agency (NEFA). 
The narration is presented by his daughters Praveen Langham and Rita Kohli Laven, and curated by Aditya Arya; this story covers Col Kohli's journey from the start to his duties as a doctor in NEFA with a passion for photography.

4. THE GANDHI COLLECTION: The Visual Archives of Kulwant Roy India's first couple bought the first edition of Gandhi Collection Album One for their private collection and gifted the third edition to US President Barack Obama. The book, a collection of 18 rare Gandhi pictures by Kulwant Rai, put together by India Photo Archive Foundation.

5. VISUAL ARCHIVES OF KULWANT ROY: Curated by Aditya Arya This book showcases an earnest selection of the diverse photographs taken by Kulwant Roy, one of the first free-lance Photo-journalists who worked through the pre and post-independence era of Modern India, and era that witnessed many nationalist upsurges that shaped the political constitutional and economic future of the country.
The National Gallery of Modern Art is pleased to bring out this publication on the occasion of the retrospective exhibition of Kulwant Roy and hope that the exhibition along with the catalogue will celebrate the life and work of India's most Dynamic Photo-journalist. 
 
Museo Camera

Museo Camera is one of the initiatives of the India Photo Archive Foundation.

Visit Site
 
The journey of Museo Camera began in 2009 in the basement of Photographer, Historian, Archivist, Aditya Arya as a personal collection of Photographic equipment. Today it is the largest not-for-profit crowd funded Centre for Photographic Arts in South East Asia. A unique public - private partnership between India Photo Archive Foundation and The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram - it is one of a kind in India with 18,000 sq. ft. of space dedicated to the art of Photography.
 
India Photo Archive Foundation is a trust for creating awareness of contemporary and historical photographs, archives and highlighting the historical value of photographic archives and collections, to encourage the dissemination, access and use of such archives for academic, institutional and cultural purposes. Museo Camera is one of the initiatives of the Foundation.
 
Timing:
11 am - 7 pm (Monday Closed)
Tickets:
Indian Residents: Rs 200/-
Non Indian Residents: Rs 300/-
Contact us
For more information about supporting the Museum:
Email: contact@museocamera.org
Location:
Shri Ganesh Mandir Marg, DLF Phase IV, Sector 28, Gurugram, Haryana - 122002
 
Become a Member: https://www.museocamera.org/become-a-member
 
Museo Camera also holds the unique distinction of being one of its kind of crowdsourced museum in India. Though the government helped us with the land and the civil work, all interior work and other expenses for the establishment of the museum was funded with donations received from well-wishers. This in itself is no small achievement and the credit goes to all the people who have shown faith in this unique dream and believed that Gurgaon-Delhi NCR needs a world-class institution. Today, it has put Gurgaon in the cultural map of India as a place of significance.
Museo Camera generates revenue through ticket sales, events, paid workshops and other educational activities. However, this is not enough to meet all the operational expenses of a huge place like this. Keeping the museum operation is a continuous challenge and we need your support to keep this unique museum thriving and living.
Every contribution, however big or small, will make you a founding member, with your name immortalised at Museo Camera. It will be our honour to extend several other privileges to you as well: free admission, private exhibition previews, discounted tickets for your guests, and more. Most importantly, your support will provide critical support to the incredible exhibitions, conservation projects, and education programmes that bring the mission of Museo Camera to life.

Services: 
  • Restoration & Archiving of Photography: Providing expertise in archival printing to preserve and conserve rare and fragile photographic materials and collections. Consultancy on Storage and Digiising Asset Management(DAM)
  • Digitization: Using best practices developed for digital-image capture and digital preservation of the files produced, using the best technology available - Flextight X5 and the 3F system, the revolutionary professional scanning system by Hasselblad.
  • Photography of Art Objects: High end digital photography to convert museum objects into digital surrogate. Using state of art digital photography equipment and capturing devices of 33 megapixels or more.
Projects & Events


 
TRUSTEES
SUBJECT COVERAGE
ACCESSIBILITY AND MEMBERSHIP
Researchers and academics who wish to consult our records can contact us vai form or email
Indian Photo Archive Social Media handle

JGU Library is not liable for violating the Copyrights. We are trying to guide you on how to access and use the archives.