Mr KG Maheshwari Hon. FIIPC, ARPS, APSA, Hon. FIP, Hon. NPPA, a photo by firoze shakir photographerno1 on Flickr.
Born on November 2, 1922, Maheshwari’s interest in Photography as a hobby began from his school days. His father wanted him to take up Music as hobby and a teacher was asked to come and audition the boy at home. But the result was disappointing when the teacher declared that the boy did not have the kind of voice. A pragmatic boy decided to take up Photography as his hobby, instead. His father used to subscribe to Illustrated Weekly and young Maheshwari used to diligently go through the pages devoted to photography. He started with a Box camera when in school. Later on, he acquired a Rollie, a Leica M3 and a Mamiaflex 330.
In 1938, P. J. Patel of Central Camera asked him to send his photographs for a competition organized by Niharika Camera Pictorialists of Gujarat and he won a prize in the Beginners Section. This is how he really got interested in photography.
He did not go through any formal training in photography, as there was none such available. Circumstances around him favoured by putting him into close contact with people who were advanced photographers – people who were mature in the art and practice of photography like late Jehangirjee Unwalla, the doyen of Indian Photography and late Burjorji Fanibunda, and he acknowledges that he learnt the real technique of pictorial print making from these great practitioners. In 1941 he got married and as things could happen his wife Shanti not only encouraged him to continue practising his pet hobby to the fullest but so to say, shared it by giving her utmost might and main to his hobby of making pictorial photography a part of their lives.
He has been regularly participating in both National and International Exhibitions. His efforts in achieving perfection in photographic art earned him the Associateship of the ‘Royal’ in 1946. He has over 1600 Salon acceptances and around 400 awards (shields / plaques / medals: gold, silver, bronze / certificates of merit).
Besides these, various Photographic Organizations in India and abroad as detailed below have also honoured him:
1946 Enrolled as an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain - A.R.P.S.
1975 Conferred by the Photographic Society of India - its highest honour -The Honorary Life Membership
1985 Elected Honorary Fellow by India International Photographic Council
1989 Photographic Society of Madhya Pradesh Honours among nine eminent camera artists of India.
1990 Honorary Fellow of the Photographic Society of the University of Mississippi - F.P.S. (Univ).
1992 Elected Associate of the Photographic Society of America - A.P.S.A.
1992 Conferred Honorary Membership of India International Photographic Council for life time achievement and unparalleled service in the field of photography.
1995 Conferred BIMB’s highest honour for excellence in photography “CHHAYARATNA”
1996 The R. A. Acharya Memorial Photographic Club bestowed its Honarary Membership.
1998 Awarded Gold Certificate for notable achievements as an exhibitor by India International Photographic Council’s Grading Division.
1998 The International Award presented for life time achievements in the national and international fields of photography by India International Photographic Council.
2000 Conferred Hon. Fellowship by Image Colleague Society International Ltd., California, USA for outstanding contribution to photography.
2000 Felicitated by the Photo Journalist Society promoting in Jodhpur, India, for his contribution in Indian Photography at their 20th FIP Convention, 2000.
2002 Bestowed the Hon. Membership of National Pictorial Photographic Academy, Mumbai in recognition of singular and meritorious services for the cause of photography.
2003 Conferred Hon. Life Membership by Photographic Association of Bengal, Kolkata.
2003 Issued IIPC ‘Platinum’ Grade Certificate by India International Photographic Council.
2004 Conferred 8th ‘Photographic Charchaa Samman’ for lifetime achievements.
2005 Conferred Hon. Life Membership for contribution in the art and science of photography in the country by East Calcutta Photographic Association, Kolkata at the celebration of its golden jubilee in the year 2005.
2007 Conferred Hon. Membership by the Photographic Society of Pune for life time achievement and unparallel services in and to the art of photography.
2009 Enrolled Hon. F.I.P. by Federation of Indian Photography.
2010 Photo Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, G.O.I. conferred 1st National Photo Award 2010 for Life Time Achievement for his Outstanding Contribution to the growth and development of Indian Photography.
He has been on the panel of judging of several National and International Exhibitions and is a member of the Honors Committees of Photographic Society of India and the India International Photographic Council.
A collection of his photographic work spanning over four decades was published in a book form entitled ‘PRINTS AND IMPRINTS’ by the Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Calcutta.
He has been contributing articles to various photographic journals and submitting papers at seminars. Till date, he has conducted more than ten workshops on ‘Pictorial Portraiture’ both by natural light – outdoors and artificial light – indoors. From 1994 to till last millennium, he has topped the list of national exhibitors in the Monochrome Pictorial Prints section.
(Text: D. C. Bhachech,)
