UAE's transformation through the eyes of this Indian photographer

Gulf News

Veteran photographer Ramesh Shukla recounts his journey capturing memories of the UAE

Transcript

00:00Hello everyone, I'm sitting here at the Four Seasons Ramesh Shukla Gallery and with me

00:08is the man himself, Mr. Ramesh Shukla, popularly known as the Royal Photographer for the UA

00:16leaders.

00:17He is launching his book which is called The Founding Fathers, Zayed and Rashid.

00:24It is going to be launched on the 7th of March and that is why we are here to talk to him

00:29about his journey, which is quite interesting because he came here in a boat with just one

00:35camera and today he owns several galleries and is a very popular figure in the UAE.

00:41So we'll start with your journey, which is rather interesting.

00:47You came here in a boat with just one camera, so why did you think about coming here?

00:53My subject life, after I decide, which country I decide to go to, outside, which country,

01:02my life.

01:03Many chances, Saudi Arabia, London, Singapore, many, many countries with boat, but I decide

01:09no.

01:10First near, I decide, complete, is my father's camera, a rollicard, or some 50, 60 black

01:19and white roll, one bag, or little money, rupees in my pocket.

01:24And what was the camera?

01:25The camera, my father's camera, my age, 15 years, 1, 5 years, my happy birthday, my father

01:32tell me, beta, which gift today, this time?

01:39My papa, please, one camera.

01:42After this camera, my hand, is my mind open, oh, this camera, world, my eyes or my camera,

01:52I handed from papa, I world focus this camera.

01:55New history, new life, big world, I see India too much, my mind night, first, which city?

02:06Selection, UAE.

02:08So how did you reach out, like, how did you become famous, the Ramesh Chakla that you

02:16are?

02:17Yeah.

02:18How did that happen?

02:19Yeah, after some, many, many one-month expos, go to India, on all magazine, paper, types

02:27of India, Dharmayug, Femina, all picture, life of UAE, everybody surprised.

02:35Some paper, back, Dubai, my friend, oh, my God, this name, UAE, Ramesh, India paper,

02:43so everybody come back, come back, come back, come back.

02:48After three months, I come back, so he's a big support, for 65, 65, 67, 68, some picture

02:57took, many, many, many, or after 68, one Sarja camel race, first camel race, go to

03:05Sarja camel, all camel, many, many camel, or some Sheikh come in, sit down, all said,

03:11down, sit down.

03:12Which Sheikh?

03:13Dubai Sheikh, this Sheikh, Sheikh Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed, oh my, Sheikh Zayed, he's my

03:24future Sheikh, all sit down, camel race, I see my camera, my focus, Sheikh Zayed, I

03:31sitting, sitting, what camera, my open, ah, ah, ah, after this picture expose, same, first

03:38time, Sheikh Zayed see, first time, I go to, this is Sheikh Zayed, oh, Sheikh Zayed, you

03:46Fanaan, Sheikh Zayed tell me, Fanaan, you, I mean, you took, yesterday, I know you took,

03:52one please, your signature photo, Sheikh Zayed's photo signature, oh, Sheikh Zayed tell me,

03:58you Fanaan, what is this Fanaan, I no idea, out of one, out of mental, Fanaan, you are

04:04very good man, I am very happy, after 68, 69, 70, or 71, the big focus is my life, I

04:16think, this is my friend, Ramesh, tomorrow big program, 71, all together, all together,

04:25understand, yeah, Dubai, Union House, this picture, together, the signature, all Sheikh

04:32together, signature, UAE, one UAE start, ah, 71, Sheikh Zayed look my, oh, Fanaan boy

04:42look my place, after everybody go to table, all signature start, after immediately outside,

04:51one flag UAE, one black and white flag, everybody, Ramesh, Ramesh, tal, tal, tal, big flag picture

04:58took, flag picture took, I took this first flag, UAE, I took picture, of this flag, after

05:046, outside, the first start, UAE, first flag of Union House, this my proud, your photographs,

05:14what is, how much is it worth, the collection, this is some money come in, for some magazine

05:21purchase, some role purchase, or everyday, 50, 60 picture develop, black and white develop,

05:28develop, develop, this time not create money, only my mind live, not for sale, no problem.

05:37So, how many books have you published? Minimum 7 book. This is which? 8, number 8 book, yeah.

05:44Have you got estimates to the worth of your gallery, like your collections are worth how much today?

05:52My life today, collection is my bank, yes, no money today, collection, it's million collection is my bank,

06:02I am happy my collection, sure, no love of money, no love of car, sure, no love you are there,

06:09this collection, you life catch up, today my museum, museum, metro station, all station is my work,

06:17currency is my work, stamp, check receipt, million stamp is my collection.

06:22Okay.

06:23History, life, everybody like, not the money important, my mind, before India, here, today we,

06:35I, life, people, country life expose, money, my life, money no important, important of history.

06:45You have heard the story of Mr. Ramesh Shukla, a very interesting one indeed.

06:50The 5 decades that he has lived here, he has captured the life of UAE leaders and the growth of the country.

06:55Behind me are the pictures he has taken through the eyes of this lens man.

07:01This is Anjana Kumar for Gulf News.

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