Exhibition offers a visual dive into Indian polity

Photographs of key current and former Indian political figures are on view at the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS) here.

Titled "200 And One", the photographs have been culled from the personal and professional archives of senior photojournalist Praveen Jain, who is currently working with the Indian Express.

Beginning with a 1984 black-and-white photograph of L.K. Advani and ex-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the exhibition takes the viewer through the latter's "magical poetry and fiery oratory" days.

Part of the rich visual political resource, a striking photograph, taken in 1996, shows Vajpayee waiting anxiously for the results as the television screen shows "India Votes 96".

He was sworn in as Prime Minister of India for first time on May 16, 1996, for 13 days.

Other key photographs, taken during the four decade career of Jain, include a contrasting photoset of former president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, looking at then-outgoing president K.R. Narayanan's 'kaafila'.

Another photograph, taken exactly a year later with the same framing, shows Narayanan looking at Kalam's 'kaafila', when the latter was the President.

Also on view is a photograph taken at Advani's residence, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the frame, captioned as "Who knew then that the unknown man at L. K. Advani's side would end up one day as Prime Minister and Advani, himself would never make it".

More photographs of Murli Manohar Joshi, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Arjun Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Subramanian Swamy, among others, narrate a fascinating tale of the Indian polity.

The exhibition is open for public viewing till November 8.

--IANS

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