Abhishek Hajela

is a freelance photographer winning recently the Nikon World Photography Award

 

Abhishek Hajela is a freelance photographer based in New Delhi. He recently won the Nikon World Photography Award in the Emerging Talent Category for 2010-2011, for his photo titled Just before the sacred dip in the Ganges.

This image was also featured in the October 2011 issue of the American-based photography magazine Outdoor Photographer. He was also interviewed recently in India's number one daily newspaper, The Hindustan Times. He has also displayed his work at the acclaimed venue, National Center for Performing Arts in Mumbai, in conjunction with Nikon.

Earlier this year his project on Spiritual India (The Naga Sadhus Naked Saints) also got nominated by the National Geographic All Roads Photography Program.

The Ministry of Tourism also selects a number of his pictures for the Incredible India!â campaign on an on-going basis.

Abhishek has been training under John Isaac, one of the most respected and prominent photographers of this century! They conduct and lead photography tours in tandem; within India and its neighboring countries.

His interview and work has also been featured in various publications and magazines like Hindustan Times, Mail Today, Air India Magazine, Asia Spa magazine, California Bride Magazine to name a few.

In late 2010, they also shot the Royal Wedding of Shivraj Singh, son of Gaj Singhji the former Maharaja (King) of Jodhpur, India.

In 2010, an interest in the spiritual aspect of India took him to the MahaKumbhMela in Haridwar (which occurs once in 12 years) and began photographing the Naga Sadhus and various aspects of their lives. He developed a keen interest in the Naga Sadhus and attends all their religious festivals and gatherings in an attempt to understand and photograph their way of life which is the current project he is working on.

Born in 1985, Abhishek Hajela grew up in Agra and New Delhi. He enrolled in a Commerce under-graduate course in the Vellore Institute of Technology in South India in 2003. He subsequently joined a Delhi-based Destination Management Company in 2006, which enabled him to travel intensively across India and the sub-continent. During these journeys, he began taking pictures of his expeditions. Then he also developed an interest in the Cultural Aspect of India which resulted in his capturing of various fairs and festivals in India such as, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in South India; the Great Rath Yatra (Pulling of the Chariots) in Puri; the Jaipur Elephant Festival, Jaisalmer Camel Festival, BateshwarMela, the Pushkar Cattle Fair and many more in Rajasthan and other states of India.