Through the Lens of Rural India’s Untold Stories | Palani Kumar | TEDxTKMCE

Introduction to Photography and Personal Background

• The person's work is based on social issues and they try to do something with people through their photography, which always stands with the people, especially those who are discriminated against in society (30s).
• Their interest in photography started in childhood, influenced by a friend named Naraj who was good at painting, and they were curious about creating something similar (1m5s).
• Watching the movie Spider-Man also encouraged them to pursue photography, as the character was a photographer who helped people, and they felt energized by the idea of using a camera to make a positive impact (1m48s).
• They tried to make short films with friends, but didn't know how to make a story or script, so they read books on the subject and tried to find a camera, eventually buying a second-hand camera frame (2m17s).
• They started taking photos with a mobile camera in 2008, thanks to their uncle who worked at BSNL and had a mobile camera, and this marked the beginning of their photography journey (3m10s).

Family Struggles and Inspiration

• Their mother and father sold fish on the roadside, and their mother had been doing this for 32 years, facing many painful stories and struggles in her life (3m22s).
• The person started taking photos of their mother, traveling with her and capturing her life, which was a very personal and enjoyable experience for them (3m33s).
• Their mother's life was marked by hardship, with the smell of fish being a constant presence in their home, and she had sacrificed a lot for her children's education (4m15s).
• The person's father also worked hard, often giving them small amounts of money and buying them fruits and other items, which were often wrapped in fish-smelling packets (4m30s).
• The person's photography journey was influenced by their family's experiences and struggles, and they found it difficult to get into photography without this personal connection (5m12s).
• The narrator's parents started working at the age of six and had no personal time, with their lives revolving around daily work and the struggle to make ends meet (5m28s).
• The narrator's parents spent 14 years building a new home, which was finally completed and served as the starting home for the family of five members living in a small space (6m4s).
• The family faced many challenges, including a lack of power, which made it difficult for the narrator to study, and a lack of space, which made it hard for relatives to visit (6m22s).
• The narrator's mother wanted to build a new home and worked hard to save money, with the state providing some financial assistance, and this experience had a huge impact on the narrator's life and work (6m47s).
• The narrator's family had no personal space, with the parents dedicating their lives to their children, and this sacrifice enabled the narrator to become an engineering graduate, their brother to become a police officer, and their sister to pursue a PhD (7m29s).
• The narrator's mother played a significant role in their education and career choices, and it was she who encouraged the narrator to study engineering and eventually pursue photography (7m43s).

Documenting Manual Scavenging

• The narrator had the opportunity to document the lives of manual scavengers and witnessed 65 deaths in the last 7 years, with 328 deaths occurring in India in the last 5 years, highlighting the severity of the issue (8m10s).
• Despite the practice being banned and illegal, manual scavenging continues, and the narrator has been documenting the issue and raising awareness about the discrimination and oppression faced by these workers (8m58s).
• The narrator's work aims to show the harsh reality of manual scavenging and its impact on the families of those who die in the process, with many victims being young people with their whole lives ahead of them (10m1s).

The Story of Arun Kumar

• In rural India, there are many untold stories, including that of a man who had a beautiful life, was married for 5 years, and had a 7-month-old child before he died in an accident while working at Express Chennai, a mall, where he fell from a height and died instantly despite being surrounded by people (10m47s).
• The man, Arun Kumar, was trying to pick up someone who had fallen when he himself fell down and died, highlighting the lack of proper safety measures and research for people doing such jobs (12m31s).
• Many people are aware of the risks of such jobs, but they are not allowed to speak out, and the incident was not reported, which is a sad reality that needs to be witnessed and shown through photography (13m10s).

Photography as a Tool for Social Change

• The photographer aims to use their medium to show the ground reality and the suffering of people in rural India, particularly in a caste system that lacks humanity (13m21s).
• The photographer's goal is not to do photography for personal gain but to give a voice to the people and to fight for their rights through their work (13m50s).

Chennai Eviction and Its Impact on Children

• Another issue highlighted is the Chennai eviction, where people are being forced to move from their homes to new locations that are far away, making it difficult for them to continue their studies and jobs (14m12s).
• The government's plan to launch Chennai 2.0, which aims to create a beautiful and clear city, is criticized for not considering the needs of the people who are being displaced, particularly children who are attached to their land and schools (14m22s).
• The photographer is focused on telling the story of children who are affected by such evictions and the challenges they face in continuing their studies and adapting to new environments (15m46s).

Documenting Rural India's Untold Stories

• The work of documenting rural India's untold stories is a significant part of life, and it's an ongoing project that has taught many valuable lessons (16m6s).
• This work involves connecting with people, talking to them, and addressing the issues they face, which is a continuous process (16m43s).
• The work also involves participating in protests and standing up for the rights of marginalized communities (17m3s).

Firework Explosives and Worker Exploitation

• In the case of firework explosives, workers are fighting for their rights, but they have no place to live, and the city is focused on beautification rather than providing for their basic needs (17m29s).
• The firework industry is based on exploitation, and workers are exposed to hazardous conditions, resulting in many deaths, including 22 documented deaths last year (17m48s).
• A recent incident involved the death of 14 women in a single explosion, highlighting the need for attention to this issue (18m7s).
• The work of documenting these issues is challenging, and it's not possible to shoot inside the factories, but it's essential to engage with the community and tell their stories (18m23s).

Giving a Voice to the Voiceless

• The people affected by these issues are often voiceless, and it's essential to stand up for them and bring their stories to light (21m9s).
• The goal is to create more journalists and photographers from the community who can tell their own stories and bring about change (21m24s).
• Photography is a powerful tool for storytelling and can be used to make a significant impact (21m31s).

Empowering Communities Through Photography

• Many people are willing to participate in photography workshops, but due to a lack of formal education in photography, it is challenging to organize such events (21m41s).
• The goal is to create more photographers and journalists from rural areas to give them a voice and fight for equality, with the main objective being to treat every human being equally (22m19s).
• Currently, there are 40 students, and some children have already showcased their work in an exhibition, with their photographs available on the website and Google (22m29s).
• Work is also being done with fish communities, who have produced beautiful work, and an exhibition is being planned to showcase their work (22m51s).
• The students have started identifying issues and telling their own stories, which is a significant development as previously, others with power would tell their stories (23m13s).
• The focus is now on telling their own stories in their own voice, marking a new beginning (23m34s).