Jai Thakur is an independent photographer from India whose work delves into societal and personal conflicts, exploring the intricate connections between the two. His efforts in raising awareness about river conservation earned him the 'Water Hero' award from the Government of India and a feature in the Amazon MX Player web series 'Express Yourself '< watch here >. Jai received a Sahapedia grant for his documentation of Delhi's potter community and was a finalist in the POY Asia Awards for his ongoing project on acid attack survivor Ritu Saini. A member of Diversify Photo since 2022, he also completed the Reuters Digital Journalism Foundation Course in 2023. Currently, he is weaving together a deeply personal photo diary, “Parallel Life”, a visual meditation on living with chronic migraine, while simultaneously shaping a non-fiction film on the Yamuna River.
His work has been featured across various media platforms, including Picture of the Year Asia, National Geographic, Better Photography Magazine, HIPA Annual Book, Dodho Magazine, Indian Photo Arts Magazine, India Times, FotoNostrum Magazine, Deccan Herald, 121Clicks, Sahapedia, and the Street Photography India book, among others. He has been invited to judge a range of prestigious global photography awards, including the New York, London Photography Awards, IIT Kanpur, etc.
Awards & Grants
2023 & 2024: Chennai Photo Biennale Photo Awards - Finalist
2022: Picture of the Asia Awards - Finalist
2021 & 2016: Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA) - Winner
2021: London International Creative Competition - Winner
2021 & 2016: Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) - Winner
2021: Photo Cinematica "Photo of the Year" - Nominee
2020: National Geographic (Annual Contest) - Winner
2020: Water Heroes Award by Govt. of India - Winner
2020: HIPA (Water - Season 9) - Finalist
2020 & 2019: Sony All India Corporate Photography Contest - Winner
2019: Sahapedia Frames Grant Recipient
2016 - 2020: International Photography Awards - Hon. Mention
2020: One Eyeland Award - Finalist
2018: The Paris Photo Prize (P×3) - Winner
2018: Photographers Forum's Magazine Spring Awards – Finalist
Selections
2025: Portfolio Review Session with Eric Le Brun, Offset Projects
2022 & 2024: Diversify Photo Portfolio Reviews (New York Times and Washington Post Photo Editors)
2022: Photo South Asia/Murthy Nayak Foundation 'Working From Memory' workshop
2021: Chobi Mela - New Waves of Documentary Photographers (Pathshala and the VII Academy collaboration) - Longlist
2020: Indian Photo Festival - 'Crafting a compelling visual narrative' by National Geographic Photo Editor
2020: World Photography Organization Portfolio Review
2020: Tarzeer Pictures Portfolio Review
2020: Art Chain India Portfolio Review
Exhibitions - Group Shows
2025: International Photography Salon, Exhibition House of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry
2025: National Photography Festival (NPF), Navjivan Trust, Gujrat
2021: 24 Hour Project at Erste Reihe, Hamburg Gallery, Germany & Idea Gallery, Iran
2021: Monsoon Photo Exhibit - Digital Exhibition on ArtBurt by Olympus Cameras
2020: AIFACS 13th All India Photo Exhibition - AIFACS Delhi
2020 & 2019: All India Corporate Photography Exhibition, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
2016: Where the road leads - Lalit Kala Academy
2015: Sahitya Kala Parishad Annual Art Exhibition - AIFACS
2013: 10th Jeevika: Asia Documentary Festival - India Habitat Centre
Curation & Jury
2025: From Margins to Mainstreams, CFAR, India International Centre - Curation
2025: New York Photography Awards - Jury
2023-2025: London Photography Awards - Jury
2023-2025: Muse Photography Awards - Jury
2023-2025: European Photography Awards - Jury
2023-2025: Global Photography Awards - Jury
2025: Photography Award, Antaragni - The Annual Cultural Festival of IIT Kanpur - Jury
2019: City Experience Festival (Banaras), India Habitat Centre - Curation
2019: City Experience Festival (Agra). The Stainless Gallery - Curation
2019; City Experience Festival (Lucknow), The Stainless Gallery - Curation
Talks, Public Speaking & Workshops
TEDx Talk on "Lumos Nox" at Institute of Management Technology (IMT), Ghaziabad
Artist Talk at Hindu College Photo Festival, Delhi University
TEDx Talk on "Paradoxical Pendulum" at Bharati Vidyapeeth's College of Engineering, Delhi
Corporate Workshop/Talks on Storytelling using Mobile Phone Camera
Workshop on "How to shoot in rain" with Olympus, Delhi
Seminar on "Story of a Photo" at BBVCOE, Delhi
Alumni Talk at Army School, Bengdubi, North Bengal
Artist Talk at Dyal Singh College Photography Festival, Xposure, Delhi University
