A Memorial Photo Exhibition: Remembering Sarabjit Pandher through his photography

A touching tribute to the late Sarabjit Pandher, renowned for his captivating photography, is set to unfold at the Chandigarh Press Club on April 30. 

A poignant collection of twenty frames, showcasing some of Sarabjit Pandher's most exquisite work, will be on display during his condolence meeting.

His lens captured the essence of diverse landscapes, from the serene wilderness of the North East to the rugged beauty of Ladakh, and even the majestic allure of the Grand Canyon in the United States. 

Curated with love and reverence by his daughters, Guramrit and Suparva, the exhibition promises a poignant bouquet of memories, celebrating Pandher's profound impact on the world of photography.

A stalwart of the Chandigarh Press Club, he served as its president for four terms (2002-04 & 2008-10). During that time, he facilitated journalists in fostering people-to-people contact to improve Indo-Pak relations, signing the sister club status with Lahore Press Club, which exists to this day.

While journalism was his chosen profession, photography remained his enduring passion since his college days. It wasn't until 2014, following a cardiac surgery, that he decided to pursue photography wholeheartedly, finding solace and meditation behind the lens.

He took premature retirement from The Hindu, where he served as an Assistant Editor, in 2015 to focus more on his photography.

"Post cardiac surgery, I realised that my body couldn’t take the pressure of day-to-day work in journalism anymore, and photography came to the rescue," Pandher sir had said during one of his interactions.

Despite being largely self-taught, he honed his craft through a short photography course in America, eschewing editing to preserve the authenticity of his compositions.

In 2015, he organised his inaugural solo exhibition at the Punjab Kala Bhawan in Chandigarh, titled "Camera Chronicles." He also founded the Pixel Palette group, a platform dedicated to promoting photography as an art form and nurturing emerging talent. Through collaborative efforts and solo showcases, his vision continued to uplift aspiring photographers.

As friends, colleagues, and admirers gather to honor his memory, Sarabjit Pandher's legacy as a gifted photographer and passionate advocate for the free speech lives on.