In my 35 years of practice, I have donned several hats that of a photojournalist, advertising photographer, corporate photographer, editorial photographer, bookmaker and independent publisher, bookseller, filmmaker, Curator, grant maker and most importantly, educator. and I continue to wear them all.
Then there is my deep involvement with grassland conservation for over the last 17 years.
I’m a self-taught photographer. I quit the conventional college education in 1987 and plunged into the world of photography. In the early stages of my career in 1989, I got an opportunity to work on my first book, Karnataka Impressions, which is now sold out. It is, it was published by Gardens Publications and I worked with my dear friend H Jayadeva who also became my guide and mentor. Post that project which lasted for almost a year. I started doing advertising photography. It also freelance photojournalism for India today.
I moved into advertising photography by late 80s. I did shoot for several campaigns, calendars, collaterals. However, the high point was working with a group of photographers in Bangalore, and a Mumbai and Delhi to set up, advertising, industrial, photographers, Association, a IPA We worked on several areas one.
- To streamline the business procedures with clients and ad agencies.
- To reduce the import duties on camera and photography equipment from an astronomical 250 percent to something manageable.
- Third was education. It was a time when there was no internet and phone connectivity is not as good as it is today. We hardly got any information on photography on the techniques or on the thought, processes of international or Indian Masters. Hence, we developed a series of workshops and in 1991 started, a new school program seminar program. Where lot of national several National and international Masters took part I was a key member of the organizing team, we conducted two, such workshops. In 1991 at Bangalore and the 1993 and Delhi
I worked in a book on another Bangalore with Jayadeva in 1993-94, titled Bangalore, scenes from an Indian city in 1993 and 94. It was published by Gangarams Publications. I was the the lead photographer, and an editorial consultant. Later in 1996 they commissioned a solo book on Karnataka. I photographed wrote the captions designed it and supervised the printing in Singapore.
The internet opened up in. 2001 to and it started my association with Getty assignments, which continues till date. I have photographed for magazines. Corporations. With over 20 countries in over 20 countries for Getty Associated, Press and Global photo Associates. Which is now closed.
I began working on a project on a long term in 2004. It was too. Tell the stories of people who have contributed to society against great personal towards the real heroes of India. The first book was published in 2007, after working for over two, three years The first edition, the first volume rather sold over 6,000 copies, helped raise over 90 lakhs to the causes of the heroes feature. The second project second book, Unsung Extraordinary Lives. Was published in 2012.
The Third Edition of the project was a show, an exhibition that Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa in 2017, I curated the show where five photographers women photographers and blend spaced artists who worked on this show title. Celebrating the extraordinary Grandeur of smallness.
Unsung Foundation was set up later. Which is now has given three no-strings-attached grants to photographers over the last three years.
The amount is INR 100000/- which the photographer is can use it to further her practice.
Philosophy as an educator
I have been an educator since 2012. The journey started with working to set up a 3 year degree programme at the then newly set up Symbiosis Institute of Photography. I helped set up 3 year programme in photography at The One School Goa and ran it for 2 years.
Since 2017, I have been working at Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology (Now Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology).
I have been teaching across the 4 year graduate and 2 year post graduate programmes at Srishti.
I have facilitated studios for Foundation studies, workshops and photography and mentored 8 semester, graduating projects of the Undergraduate programme.
Srishti is not a photography school and I teach aspiring design and art practitioners. My philosophy as the educator at Srishti has been to facilitate the learning of ‘The Art of Seeing.’
Now my focus now is also helping create New World Makers. Please click here for more
Student Testimonials
* “I can’t begin to express how important it is to me, at this point in my life. I guess that must be true for other young folk as well. But you need to understand what you’re doing is exceptionally remarkable. We have teachers, mentors, faculty but then; we have guides. These are people who hold a firm place in our hearts not because of how important they are but because their knowledge and wisdom helps us become who we are and help us navigate the compass of life.
You’ve managed to hold such a place in many of our hearts.
You won’t be disappointed, I promise you.
I’ll carry this letter; and many more words of wisdom you’ve gifted me throughout the entirety of my existence. Thank you.”
Tanay Sharma
Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology
BDes, Human Centred Design, batch of 2020
*I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. It has been a pleasure working under your guidance and every step of the way, all through these four years. Your classroom has been my safe space, my place to crib, complain to learn and grow. You taught me to love what you do, cherish every memory and use your voice to fight for what is right. You also taught me to love nature, read between the lines and turn every situation into a learning experience. Your life stories have always been inspiring and fun to hear, read and see. I do and always have considered you as a big role model! Being dedicated and passionate in the right way about your work, is something that I learnt from you. It has been a rollercoaster, these 4 years. But you made it easier. Thank you for being there for me.
So thank you!
Manasee Kulkarni
Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology
BDes, Human Centred Design, batch of 2020
*Thank you for helping me find my vision
Shivya Kochar
The One School Goa, 2015
*You are an amazing professor Mahesh. Studying & working with you is a delight. Your values & ambitions are worthy of a lot of appreciation. Thanks for being a kind hearted, generous, talented, inspiring person
Srishti Saraogi
Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology
MCra, Creative Art Practices, batch of 2021
Writings:
Columns on Bangalore Mirror (on photography) – My columns can be read here.
My thoughts and stories
Essay – Whose City is it? For my book Bengaluru/Bangalore In First Person
Between 1996 and 2000. I published a magazine, a tabloid size Magazine on visual thinking, called LIGHT. Please click here to see more.
Books
Karnataka Impressions – 1989
Bangalore – Scenes from an Indian City – 1994
Karnataka – 1997
Bengaluru/Bangalore In First Person – 2012
UNSUNG (Tranlsated to Malayalam and published by DC Books, Kerala) – 2007
UNSUNG-Extraordinary Lives – 2016
Land of the Honey Badger for Nature Conservation Foundation -2020
Films:
Making of the monkey rehabilitation centre for People for Animals Bangalore
Making of Celebrating the Extraordinary Grandeur of Smallness
A film on Grasslands of the Deccan
Music Video – Leaders of Men for Thermal and A Quarter
Exhibitions:
CLICK – Contemporary Photography in India at Vadhera Gallery – Delhi and London (2008)
Goa International Photo Festival (2015)
Dali International Photo Festival, China (2015)
India Photo Festival at Hyderabad (2015) – Speaker
Presented UNSUNG at Delhi Photo Festival 2011
‘Re-Imagining the People of India” under the aegis of the inaugural Neel Dongre Grant (2013). This work has been exhibited in New Delhi, Hyderabad and France.
Curated the show – Celebrating the Extraordinary Grandeur of Smallness @ Serendipity Arts Festival, 2017 – Goa
TedX talks
TEDxKIITUniversity 2017 – Stories through the lens of a maverick | Mahesh Bhat | TEDxKIITUniversity – YouTube
Indian Institute of Technology, Indore 2017
Environmental Work:
Over the last 17 years, I have worked to protect the 5000 acre catchment of Arkavathy river near Hesaraghatta in Bangalore. With my colleagues at Arkavathy & Kumudvathy River Rejuvenation Trust, I spear headed the Public Interest Litigation that helped save a 345 acre grassland by the Hesaraghatta lake in North Bangalore. More about it here and here
‘Philosophy of day to day life’ – why are we the way we are? Our relationship with each other and the environment, growing conflict in the world – are some of the questions that I think about a lot. I am also interested in urbanism – the way we are shaping our cities and our lives.