MAM
Let principles govern, not rules: Sridhar
VARCA, GOA: In an increasingly shrinking world, an ad message not only needs to be precise but sensible as well. A certain amount of self regulation is required on part of the brand and the creative minds behind an ad campaign in order to maintain the parameters of decency and not to step outside the boundary wall, said Leo Burnett national creative director KV Sridhar (popularly called Pops).
“We are dealing with two things. First is the current scenario where print and TV dominate the ad landscape. In this case we may monitor and modify the objectionable ads. Second is the future where Internet or any other medium may dominate and we don‘t know yet whether we will be able to monitor/regulate the ads as we do now. It is better to be governed by principles than by rules,” Sridhar noted.
Speaking at Goafest 2012, Sridhar went on to compare the science of marketing to the art of flirting. If done with charm and panache, both parties involved will enjoy it and have a good time. If the act borders on crass or inappropriate, it is most likely to land the individual in trouble with a slap on his face. But if he crosses the lines of decency and respect, he may even land up in jail. The advertising scene today, according to Sridhar, falls in the second category and should employ self regulation not to crossover to the third and land in more trouble.
Every industry has two types of people – those who care and those who don’t. The former category will always be sensitive towards the interests of those around them. There is a need to be sensitive towards the multiple ethnicities, cultures and communities that co-exist in the world. It is not only the humans that one needs to be sensitive towards. Animals and environment also need to be considered in the same light.
MAM
Raghu Rai passes away at 83, leaves behind iconic legacy
Padma Shri-winning photographer documented history across 5 decades.
MUMBAI: The lens may have stilled, but the stories it captured will never fade. Raghu Rai, one of India’s most celebrated photojournalists, passed away on April 26, 2026, at the age of 83. He breathed his last at a private hospital in New Delhi after battling cancer and age-related health issues.
His son, Nitin Rai, revealed that Rai had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, which later spread to the stomach and, more recently, the brain. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his health had declined in recent months.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Rai entered photography in his early twenties, inspired by his elder brother, photographer S. Paul. Beginning his career in the mid-1960s, he went on to build a body of work that spanned more than five decades, contributing to global publications such as Time, Life, GEO, Le Figaro, The New York Times, Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire.
His global recognition took a decisive leap in 1977 when legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to join Magnum Photos, placing him among the world’s most respected visual storytellers.
Rai’s lens chronicled both power and poignancy. He photographed towering figures such as Indira Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Bal Thackeray, Satyajit Ray and Mother Teresa, while also documenting defining moments like the Bhopal gas tragedy later captured in his book Exposure: A Corporate Crime.
Over the years, he published more than 18 books, building an archive that blended journalism with artistry. His contributions were recognised early when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh War and refugee crisis. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the United States for his work in National Geographic, and in 2009, he was honoured with the Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Rai is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites will be held at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday.
With his passing, Indian photojournalism loses not just a pioneer, but a patient observer of history, one frame at a time.
