Metamorphosis of a village girl into a photography icon

The first Indian woman to do PhD in photography, Tulika Sahu, 40, hit yet another milestone when she received the HT Woman-2018 Award Culture Masters from chief minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on Sunday.

With her firm believe in creativity and hard work, she also made it to the Limca Book of Records and India Book of Records for photography.

THE JOURNEY

The journey of the once shy, diminutive, dusky girl from the small, non-descript town of Tanda (now a part of Ambedkarnagar district) is a story of grit and determination, more so as she hailed from a humble rural background.

Born to photographer parents, the art was in her blood. The metamorphosis of a village girl into a photography icon and role model for today’s youth has not been a cakewalk. She has indeed travelled far in her chosen field career.

“I was a student of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Faizabad approx 65 kms from my native place. Tanda being a very small town with no good schools, I appeared and cleared the All India Selection Test to get admission to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, which was a residential school,” said Sahu, who is now an assistant professor and deputy dean (Student Welfare) at Amity School of Fine Arts.

She added, “Though my family wanted me to become a doctor, they never pressurized me. Instead, my father encouraged me to pursue photography as a hobby. But, towns like Tanda or Faizabad had no scope for pursuing my ambition. So, I forced my parents to shift me to Lucknow.

Sahu arrived starry-eyed in Lucknow and enrolled herself in Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) programme in the prestigious College of Arts and Crafts, Lucknow University. To pursue her dream further, she enrolled in MFA programme after graduation. It was then that the idea of pursuing PhD in photography cropped up.

“After enquiring, I came to know that this was one of those arenas, where no Indian woman had ever set her foot,” said Sahu , now a mother of two daughters.

Undeterred, her resolve only strengthened. In over 100 years of its history, no student had ever walked out of the hallowed portals of College of Arts and Crafts with a doctorate in photography. However, enrolling for a PhD wasn’t easy.

Her guide for the thesis, Dr Bhupesh Little, HOD, Photography, College of Arts and Crafts (LU), said, “I told her that I will not take her for PhD under me to which she had fiercely replied that ‘you will have to’. Her strong determination and creative spark forced me to rescind my decision. Today, I am immensely happy that I did not commit any mistake in judging her potential as she has done me as well the august institution proud”.

Doing PhD in photography for a woman wasn’t an easy task as it necessitated working outdoors for long stretches on assignments. Marriage, pregnancy, kids and financial constraints were unable to dissuade her from achieving her goal.

Odd jobs here and there, from a graphic designer to a visualizer in an ad agency to an art teacher in a school and other part time endeavors, all consumed her time and energy but failed to break her steely resolve.

Later, she bagged a good opportunity as an assistant professor at Amity University through her demonstrated capability.

She received her doctorate on February 10, 2015. This singular achievement catapulted her into the league of women achievers as she became the first Indian Woman to be awarded a doctorate in Photography from one of the most prestigious institutions in the country, the College of Arts and Crafts (LU).

In the process, she shattered another male bastion and paved way for thousands of young women to think out of the box and conquer their dreams. Besides PhD, she also cleared National Eligibility Test (NET) twice.

Sahu said, “I would not have been what I am today, but for the tremendous support of my parents who believed in me. It is important to realize the potential of each child and allow him to pursue his dreams. And this is what I learnt from my parents. My success is also due to my supportive husband and my mother-in-law who have been a pillar of strength.”

EXPERTISE

Sahu’s forte lies in culling sensitive frames from the ordinary humdrum of routine life. She excels in low light and monochrome photography and solarization technique which she mastered under the watchful eyes and guidance of her father.

Her achievements also made her grab a place in the Limca Book of Records and India Book of Records. Record book editors of 8 countries also felicitated her at New Delhi in November 2017. Accolades, recognition, awards followed as her creative mettle came to fore and was acknowledged in numerous national and international photo competitions and exhibitions.

THE LIST IS LONG

Multi-talented and a virtuoso, she also paints and writes poetry which was also broadcasted by the All India Radio. She has recited her poems in Kavi Sammelans and Mushairas. A state-level player in kho-kho, volleyball and throw ball, she has represented her school in various state level tournaments.

Accepting it as her social responsibility to repay to the society for what she has gained, she conducts free classes on photography for girls of her locality besides conducting sessions for those desirous in pursuing the art of photography in various Navodaya Schools as well as NGOs—all free of cost.

FUTURE ENDEAVOURS

Her future endeavour is to open an NGO dedicated for the welfare of street children and associating herself with Prime Minister’s Skill Development Programme.

She said, “I teach photography to anyone who is willing as you never know who may pick up this art form to earn her livelihood in years ahead”. As a firm believer of the fact that every person is creative, she encourages and assists her students to participate in various photo salons and contests.

As a role model for today’s youth, she effortlessly straddles the twin domains of creativity and academics at Amity University, Lucknow Campus.

ON WINNING HT WOMAN AWARD

“HT Woman Award brought lots of happiness to the family, specifically my younger daughter. After the award ceremony, I received a call from my 10-year-old daughter enquiring ‘Mommy Kya hua??’ To surprise her, I told her that I could not bag the award,” said Sahu.

She added, “Upon reaching home I found her waiting at the gate, riddled with sadness. She consoled me ‘Mamma, don’t worry, you will surely win the next time’. I smiled and informed her that I have won and showed her the trophy,” she said.