You may have noticed many people taking photos with cameras, but let us introduce you to a remarkable initiative involving homeless citizens living on Mumbai’s streets. 13 captivating photos from their cameras have been selected for the appealing My Mumbai Calendar of 2024. This collection of 1350 photos can be considered a treasure, offering not only a unique perspective of Mumbai but also showcasing its evolving landscape.
Under the leadership of Brijesh Arya, the chairman of the ‘Pehchan’ organisation, homeless individuals residing on Mumbai’s streets were given the opportunity to exhibit their artistic talents. Those whose photos made it to the calendar were honoured with medals by RTI activist Anil Galgali. Arya elaborated that, with the assistance of Paul Ryan from My World London, fifty cameras from Fuji Film were provided free of charge.
A total of 1350 photos were captured, out of which 105 were selected for the calendar. Four judges from Mumbai, namely Pareri Subramaniam, Iyan Pereira, Rajiv Asgavkar, and Rajan Nandwana, along with St. Xavier’s, curated the 13 best photos. These images underwent further refinement at Café Art London for calendar printing, which was inaugurated by Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Devendra Fadnavis, who commended the artistry of the homeless.
The calendar features photos by various individuals, including Aarti Kharwa (on the front page), Nitin Kharwa (for January), Firoz Shah (for February), Sunil Kharwa (for March), Nitin Kharwa (for April), Rahul Parmar (for May), Sikander Mansuri (for June), Sheila Pawar (for July), Suresh Pawar (for August), Akash Kharwa (for September), Sunanda Gaikwad (for October), Shobha Kharwa (for November), and Anil Butia (for December). Subhash Rokade and student volunteers Dhwanit, Ashlyn, and Shrea contributed to the project by capturing and compiling photos.
