Deshpande is also known for using photos to raise public awareness of Ayyappa Deeksha
Post Date – 07:20 AM, Wednesday – 5/17/23
Anil Kumar Deshpande from Adilabad has developed a fascination for candid photographs of various cultural and spiritual events.
adilabad: A guy who taught himself photography and set up a small studio in Adilabad has now won around 165 awards ranging from national to national and even international.
Anil Kumar Deshpande’s winning work includes a Gold Medal from the prestigious Photographic Society of America for his recent photographs of the sacred Ayyappa Thiruvabharam procession from Sabarimala, Kerala.
Deshpande, a farmer’s son from Brahmaniwada, Adilabad town, managed to pass the SSC on only his second attempt. But that didn’t stop him from trying to make it big later in life, and after dabbling in wedding photography, he has excelled in the field of photography for over a decade, making his parents, Venkat Rao and Kamala Bai, proud.
“I ventured into photography to make ends meet after completing my intermediate course. Established a studio in Adilabad in 1988 with the then Gramodaya scheme and I have been practicing wedding photography ever since. I took photography workshops and honed my skills own skills. I participated in international webinars to learn more about art,” Deshpande told “Telangana today.’
The 53-year-old photographer also enjoys taking pictures of various cultural and spiritual events at the Sabarimala temple. He won a PSA award on May 12 under the photojournalism category for his photo of the sacred ceremony of the Thiruvabharanam procession. He submitted his work in January.
Deshpande is also known for using photographs to raise public awareness of Ayyappa Deeksha. He organized photo exhibitions for Ayyappa devotees in Bangalore, Kuratla in Jagtial district and Adilabad. He said he captures the stages of Deeksha by trekking and camping in Sabarimala for two months a year.
To his credit, he has so far received 165 awards, including 69 international awards, 81 national and 15 national honors. He has received an award from Akhila Bharathiya Ayyappa Dharma Prachar Sabha for spreading Ayyappa movement in 2021.
He has also received fellowships including the Photographic Federation of India, International Federation of Photographic Arts, American Association of Image Colleagues International (AICS), Bangladesh Master Agile Photographers Association (MAPS), Sri Lanka Serendib Photographers Association and Associate Professor at Fototechnik Academy, to name a few.
