Homai Vyarawalla KNOWN as India’s first female photojournalistwas born on December 9, 1913, into a Parsi family based in Navsari, Gujarat. The family later moved to Mumbai, and when she was at university, she was introduced to photography by a professor (and her future husband) Manekshaw Vyarawalla. Her first photogtaphy job capturing her classmates at a picnic, which were published by a local newspaper, earned her one rupee per image. In 2010, she was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, two years before her death in 2012. Some of her photographs are displayed in London Kings Cross branch of popular restaurant chain, Dishoom. As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Vyarawalla was not taken seriously, so she published her photographs under her husband’s name. Before she started using her own name, she used the pseudonym ‘Dalda13’ which was derived from her scooter number plate, DLD13. She photographed international politicians including US p...
“Photography is the story I fail to put into words.”