My Best Shot: Neeraj Priyadarshi

Photograph/Neeraj Priyadarshi

Neeraj Priyadarshi

Why It Is My Best Shot
Having just moved from Mumbai to New Delhi, this event was my very first major political assignment. It was also my first introduction to Rahul Gandhi. This image shows him being formally inducted into India’s mainstream politics, when rumors of him being the next Prime Minister candidate were already abound. Another very notable part of the image is Sant Ram, the person in the white uniform with a bouquet in his hands. A loyalist with the family, he has been around the Gandhi family since the time of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Where and When I Shot This Image
The image was shot at the All India Congress Committee office during the Lok Sabha election manifesto release on 24 March 2009.

How I Achieved It
I shot just a single frame, and it happened out of sheer intuition. Amidst all the Congress bigwigs arriving at the venue, this was the small fraction of a second when I felt that a historical moment was unfolding itself in front of me.

The Gear I Used To Shoot This Image
I used a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III with a Canon EF 70–200mm f/2.8L USM lens.

About Neeraj Priyadarshi
Inspired by Marc Riboud, Neeraj Priyadarshi began an exhaustive and compelling journey of visual storytelling, documenting almost every significant event across India in the last 24 years. Apart from being the National Photo Editor of ‘The Indian Express’, he also teaches photography at the Indian Express Media School.