photographer | curator

As an independent photojournalist, Panjiar has worked on stories for leading international and national 

publications such as Time Magazine, Focus, New York Times, amongst others. As a documentary photographer he works on issues of health, education and livelihood across Asia and Africa for international non-profit organisations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, American India Foundation, UNFPA, IPPF & HIV-AIDS Alliance. 

 

Panjiar has led the curatorial team of all 3 editions of the Delhi Photo Festival of which he is the co-founder and co-Creative Director. He is also responsible for the publication of the Nazar Photography Monographs series for Nazar Foundation of which he is the co-founder and Managing Trustee.

 

In 2014 as Creative Director he curated, and helped conceive the first edition of Sensorium a festival of Arts, Literature & Ideas for Sunaparanta, Goa Centre for the Arts. In 2015 he curated a permanent collection of contemporary photography for the new corporate building of Star TV India in Mumbai. He was the photography curator for the first two editions of the Serendipity Arts Festival, Goa, in 2016 and 2017. He was the project curator for Kanu’s Gandhi, the third title in the Nazar Photography Monographs series, and of the resulting exhibition that has been on tour since 2015. His latest initiative is the multi-disciplinary Goa Open Arts Festival and the Goa Open Arts Catalyst Grant that he co-founded and launched in 2020.

 

Panjiar has served on the jury of the World Press Photo Awards, the China International Press Photo Competition, Indian Express Press Photo Awards and the National Foundation of India’s annual photography fellowship.

 

Being one of India’s leading photo-practitioners, Panjiar is actively involved in mentoring younger photographers.

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CURATORIAL WORK

Safe Water For All: Curator & Photographer | Kohler Design Centre, Wisconsin, USA. 2020.

Serendipity Arts Festival: Curator for Photography | Goa. 2017.

Transforming Lives – 15 years of American India Foundation: Curator & Photographer | New Delhi. 2017.

A Million Mutinies Later – India at 70: Curatorial Advisor |Wales, United Kingdom. 2017.

Serendipity Arts Festival: Curator for Photography | Goa. 2016.

Kanu’s Gandhi: Project Curator for book and exhibition | New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bangalore, Goa, Mumbai (India); Wales (UK); Dhaka (Bangladesh), Rabat & Fes (Morocco); Cairo & Alexandria (Egypt); Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). 2015–19.

Delhi Photo Festival 2011 - 2015: Creative Director | New Delhi.

Star TV India's Permanent collection of contemporary Indian photography: Curator | Mumbai. 2015.

Sensorium – A Festival of Arts, Literature & Ideas: Creative Director | Sunaparanta, the Goa Centre for the Arts, Goa. 2014.

We Are Family: Curator | For International Planned Parenthood Federation South Asia Region, New Delhi. 2012.

India – The Definitive Image: Picture Editor | DK / Penguin. 2004.

 

BOOKS AS AUTHOR

Indianisms: Self-published, 2023

That Which Is Unseen: Navjivan Trust, 2021.

Shine On: American India Foundation, 2015.

Pan India – A Shared Habitat: Tasveer Arts, 2009.

Aids Sutra: Random House India, 2008.

King, Commoner, Citizen: India Picture Photography Monograph, 2007.

Locked Homes. Empty Schools: Zubaan Books, 2007.

The Ranas of Nepal: Naef Kister Switzerland, 2002 / Timeless, 2003.

Malkhan - The story of a Bandit King: Lancers, India, 1984.

The Survivours - Kampuchea 1984: Patriot Publishers, 1984.

 

BOOKS AS CONTRIBUTOR

Legacy of Photojournalism – The Deepak Puri Collection: Tasveer Arts, 2015.

Unsung: Mahesh Bhat Publishing, 2016.

Tiranga: Neovision Publishers, 2005.

India – The Definitive Image: DK / Penguin, 2004.

Outlook Classics: Outlook Group, 2002.

Madhya Pradesh – Images Beyond The Surface: Madhyam, 2000.

India – A Celebration of Independence 1947 to 1997: Aperture, USA, 1997.

India 24 Hours: Mappin, India, 1996.

Rajiv: by Sonia Gandhi, Viking India, 1992.

India’s Bandit Queen: by Mala Sen, Harper Collins, Great Britain, 1991.

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

Indianisms: Museum of Goa, Goa, 2023-24

That Which Is Unseen: Satya Art Gallery, Ahmedabad & Indian Photo Festival, Hyderabad, 2021.

Pan India – A Shared Habitat: New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai & Lausanne, 2009-10.

King, Commoner, Citizen: Tokyo & Delhi, 2007.

The Wall: Mumbai, 2003.

Kings & Commoners: Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Bangalore & Pune, 2000.

Kampuchea Lives Again: Delhi & Calcutta, 1984.

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

Safe Water For All: Kohler Design Centre, Wisconsin, USA, 2020

Amongst the Believers – Kumbh Mela: Kolkata International Photo Festival, Kolkata, 2019.

Bodhgaya Biennale: Bodhgaya, 2016.

Legacy of Photojournalism – The Deepak Puri Collection: Tasveer Arts, 2015.

Ways of Activism: New Delhi 2014

We Are Family: For International Planned Parenthood Federation, New Delhi, 2012.

Where Three Dreams Cross:  Whitechapel Gallery, London & Foto Museum Winterthur,

Switzerland 2010.

The Self and the Other – Portraiture in Contemporary Indian Photography: Barcelona & Vitoria,

Spain, 2009.

Droit dans les yeux: Polka Gallerie, Paris, France, 2009.

Click! Contemporary Photography in India: Delhi & London, 2008.

Act of Faith: Noorderlicht International Photo Festival, 2007.

Tirtha: New Delhi, 2007.

Ways of Resisting: New Delhi, 2002.

India – A Celebration of Independence: Philadelphia, London, Delhi, Bombay, 1997.

India 24 Hours: Bombay, 1996.

Punjab 1994: New Delhi, Chandigarh & Bombay, 1994-95.

Rajiv Gandhi: New Delhi,1991.

Das Endlose Rad - Photographie in Indien: Germany & Switzerland, 1987.