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Raghu Rai Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth18 December 1942

Age83 Years (at time of death)

BirthplaceJhang, Punjab, British India (now in Pakistan)

ProfessionPhotographer, Photojournalist

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried (at the time of death)

SpouseFirst wife: Usha Rai (m. 1968); Second wife: Gurmeet Sangha Rai (m. 1989)

FamilyChildren: Son Nitin Rai; Daughters Purvai Rai, Lagan Rai, Avani Rai

Raghu Rai Biography

Raghu Rai (Raghunath Rai Chowdhry) was an Indian photographer and photojournalist celebrated for his extensive coverage of India and for being the country

Early life and background
Raghu Rai was born Raghunath Rai Chowdhry on 18 December 1942 in Jhang, in what was then British India (now in Pakistan). He was the youngest of three siblings and trained originally as a civil engineer. After a brief period working as an engineer in New Delhi, he shifted his focus to photography, learning the craft from his elder brother Sharampal Chowdhry (known professionally as S Paul).

Career
Rai began his professional photographic journey in the mid-1960s. By 1966 he had joined The Statesman in New Delhi and rose to become the newspapers chief photographer, a position he held for nearly a decade. His editorials and photo essays later appeared in many leading international publications, including Life, Time, Le Monde, Newsweek, Vogue, GEO, Die Welt and The Independent.

In the 1970s Rais work drew international attention. He received the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh crisis, and an exhibition in Paris led to an invitation from Henri Cartier-Bresson to join Magnum Photos in 1977. Rai worked in editorial roles as well as in the field: he served as picture editor at the Calcutta weekly Sunday and later joined India Today during its formative years, contributing as visualiser, picture editor and photographer.

Rai was known for his sustained engagement with major events and cultural themes across India. He covered the Bhopal disaster in 1984 and in 1992 was named Photographer of the Year in the United States for a story on human management of wildlife in India published by National Geographic. He served repeatedly as an arbitrator for major international photography contests, including World Press Photo and contests organized by UNESCO and in Amsterdam.

Over the years Rai published numerous books and photo monographs. His published subjects ranged widely: portraits and essays on political figures, explorations of city and architectural subjects such as the Taj Mahal and Agra, studies of religious communities, and long-form projects on India itself, including collections presented both in colour and in black and white. In 2002 his work was included alongside Sebastião Salgado and Graciela Iturbide in a special exhibition and book presenting photographers from Mexico and India. A documentary titled "Raghu Rai: An Unframed Portrait," directed by his daughter Avani Rai and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, portrays his life and work as a photojournalist.

Public profile
Rai earned national and international honours across his career. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972, was named Photographer of the Year in the United States in 1992, and in 2009 received the French governments Officier des Arts et des Lettres. His distinctive eye and long-term projects made him a prominent figure in Indian photography, and his images were widely reproduced and exhibited.

Personal life
Raghu Rai married twice. His first marriage, in 1968, was to journalist Usha Rai; from that marriage he had two children, including a son, Nitin Rai, who followed him into photojournalism, and a daughter, Lagan Rai. In 1989 he married architect Gurmeet Sangha Rai; that marriage produced two children, daughter Purvai Rai, who became CEO and founder of a creative magazine, and daughter Avani Rai, a photographer who later co-directed the documentary about her father. Rai had brown eyes and salt-and-pepper hair and counted reading and writing among his interests. He maintained a farm near Delhi that he favored as a retreat.

Later years and death
Raghu Rai battled prostate cancer for two years. He died in Delhi on 26 April 2026 at the age of 83. His passing was noted in connection with his long and influential career photographing and documenting modern India.

Latest updates
A documentary made by his daughter Avani Rai with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap offers a filmed reflection on his life and work. Posthumous exhibitions and continued circulation of his books and essays keep his images and contributions in public view.
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Recent Work

Raghu Rai: An Unframed Portrait

Documentary on his life and work directed by his daughter Avani Rai and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap.

Unknown (documentary referenced as existing)
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Career Highlights

  1. Joined The Statesman as chief photographer and worked there for nearly a decade
  2. Awarded Padma Shri in 1972 for coverage of Bangladesh
  3. Invited to join Magnum Photos in 1977 after a Paris exhibition
  4. Served as picture editor at Sunday and contributor at India Today
  5. Named Photographer of the Year in the United States in 1992
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Raghu Rai born?

18 December 1942

What is Raghu Rai known for?

Photographer, Photojournalist

What is Raghu Rai’s marital status?

Married (at the time of death)

Who is Raghu Rai married to?

First wife: Usha Rai (m. 1968); Second wife: Gurmeet Sangha Rai (m. 1989)