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Padma Shri Photographer Raghu Rai Dies at 83

4/28/2026

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Summary

Raghu Rai Dies

Raghu Rai, India’s famed photographer, died on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at age 83.
He was born on December 18, 1942, in Jhang, Punjab (now Pakistan) and trained as an engineer.
Rai became chief photographer of The Statesman in 1966 and joined Magnum Photos in 1977, covering the 1971 Bangladesh war and the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster.
He received the Padma Shri in 1972 and adopted digital photography in 2003.

Summary

Raghu Rai Cremated

His death was confirmed on Instagram with a black-and-white portrait.
He is survived by wife Gurmeet Sangha Rai and children Nitin, Lagan, Avani and Purvai.
Son Nitin Rai, a photographer, co-founded the Raghu Rai Center for Photography in 2012.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, actress Dia Mirza and filmmaker Varun Grover posted tributes on social media.
The cremation took place at 4:00 pm IST on April 26, 2026 at Lodhi Road Cremation Ground, New Delhi.

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Raghu Rai Dies

Raghu Rai, India’s famed photographer, died on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at age 83.
He was born on December 18, 1942, in Jhang, Punjab (now Pakistan) and trained as an engineer.
Rai became chief photographer of The Statesman in 1966 and joined Magnum Photos in 1977, covering the 1971 Bangladesh war and the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster.
He received the Padma Shri in 1972 and adopted digital photography in 2003.

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