MAM
OMEGA begins timekeeping at the Olympic Games Paris 2024
Mumbai: OMEGA’s countdown clock in Paris has finally reached zero, and the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is now underway. Following a colourful opening ceremony in the heart of the host city, the Swiss watchmaker will now begin its role as official timekeeper in all of the 329 events.
For the next several weeks, the world’s greatest athletes will compete in 32 different sports, aiming for the ultimate prizes of gold, silver, and bronze medals. OMEGA has arrived in Paris with 350 tonnes of equipment to support its 550 timekeepers, who will be on-site to measure every second of action, and help determine the official results.
OMEGA president and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann said, “There’s always an incredible energy at the start of the Olympic Games, with so much anticipation for the weeks ahead. OMEGA knows how hard these athletes have trained, and the many hours they have dedicated to their careers. It’s our honour to support them in Paris and be part of their history-making moments.”
This is the 31st time since 1932 that OMEGA will fulfill the role of official timekeeper at the Olympic Games. The brand was originally selected for its reputation in precision, and that quality remains at the heart of its timekeeping service. For the past 92 years, OMEGA has been committed to excellence, innovation, and reliability at the Olympic Games, having developed and evolved many of the critical technologies that athletes, judges, and spectators rely on.
Paris 2024 is the latest milestone in the brand’s legacy. As the sporting events unfold, the OMEGA countdown clock will remain in place at Port de la Bourdonnais, near the Eiffel Tower, as it continues counting down to the Paralympic Games, which begins on 28 August. OMEGA has timed this inspiring occasion since 1992, and will resume its duties once again this summer.
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.
