Pran Lal Patel

NAME    :    PRAN LAL PATEL
BIRTH DATE    :    1ST JANUARY, 1910.
PLACE    :    JAMNAGAR, GUJARAT.
EDUCATION    :    1929 - VERNACULAR FINAL.
1932    -        STARTED       PHOTOGRAPHY       UNDER       THE       GUIDANCE       OF
LEF. COURNEL BALVANT BHATT PHOTOGRAPHIC ART CRITIC & RAVISHANKAR
RAVAL A WELLKNOWN PAINTER OF GUJARAT.
1946    -        ASSOCIATE OF ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHY SOCIETY OF GREAT
BRITAIN (ARPS).
1993    -        INDIA INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY COUNCIL OF INDIA
(ASIIPC).
AWARDS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
1942    -      AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY LONDON INTERNATIONAL CONTEST OVERSEAS. BRONZE MEDAL.
1964    -     KODAK NEW YORK WORLD FAIR COLOUR PHOTOGRAPH, BRONZE PLAQUE & EXCELLENT SP.
CERTIFICATE.
1966    -      INTER PRESS PHOTO EXHIBITION, MOSCOW.
1976    -      YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA FEDERATION, KANPUR 2 PRIZES - BRONZE PLAGUE.
AWARDS IN INDIA
1933    -      AKHIL HIND SWADESHI EXHIBITION, AHMEDABAD. SILVER MEDAL & CASH.
1943               -      J.B.T. EXHIBITION CALCUTTA SILVER MEDAL & CERTIFICATE.
1955               -      WIAA HOBY EXHIBITION - BOMBAY SILVER MEDAL.
1976    -      INTERNATIONAL CHILD YEAR EXHIBITION OF BARODA STATE. SILVER PLAQUE & CERTIFICATE
& MILD BOOK.
1987    -      YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA, BANGALORE, BRONZE PLAQUE.
1985    -      ST. XAVIER'S ASSOCIATION OF PHOTOGRAPHY CALCUTTA CERTIFICATE OF MERIT AWARDED BY
PUBLIC OPINION.
1989    -    POONA PHOTO EXHIBITION SOCIETY, ON 'HERITAGE' SUBJECT, 1st PRIZE.
1989    -    INDUSTRIAL PHOTO ASSOCIATION THROUGH EXHIBITION ON 'POLLUTION' SUBJECT, III PRIZE.
1991    -    INTACH-ALL INDIA COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION. BRONZE MEDAL.
1942    -    AHMEDABAD ART SOCIETY 2nd PRIZE MEDAL BRONZE, CERTIFICATE.
1942    -    BOMBAY ART SOCIETY 2nd PRIZE MEDAL BRONZE & CERTIFICATE.
1964    -    MYSORE ALL INDIA DUSSERA FESTIVAL EXHIBITION.
1970    -    3 BRONZE MEDAL, CERTIFICATE.
1989    -    TATA TABLE DIARY AWARDED.
1976    -    YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA FEDERATION KANPUR 2 PRIZES, BRONZE PLAQUE.
1941    -    MYSORE STATE SILVER MEDAL & CERTIFICATE.
    1951,  1953,  1955,  1956,  1957,  1958,  1959,  1963,  1964.

EXHIBITION - ONE MAN SHOWS AND GROUP SHOWS ARRANGED
01.    FAMILY GROUP SHOW IN 1974 AT SANSKAR KENDRA, AHMEDABAD. SPONSORED BY 'NIHARIKA'
PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB.
02.    ONE MAN SHOW AT GANDHINAGAR, SURAT, NAVSARI. ARRANGED BY GUJARAT STATE
LALIT KALA ACADEMY.
03.    ONE MAN SHOW SPONSORED BY MYSORE PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB  1978.
04.    GROUP SHOW ARRANGED BY 31 CLUBS SPONSORED BY FEDERATION OF INDIAN PHOTOGRAPHY.
05.    25 PHOTOGRAPHS EXHIBITED PERMANENTLY IN EXHIBITION "FAMILY OF INDIA" AT CALCUTTA,
THE EXHIBITION WAS ORGANISED BY AGFA GEVERT INDIA LTD.
06.    GROUP SHOW AT SINGAPORE, MALAYASIA ON THE OCCASION OF SILVER JUBILEE OF JOHOR
CLUB, SINGAPORE.
07.    ONE MAN SHOW ON - KASHMIRS IN 1940 AT TATA ART GALLERY, BOMBAY IN 1995.
08.    MR. DR. THOMAS SECRETARY OF FIAP EXHIBITED THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF PRANLAL PARIVAR
IN ALL OVER THE WORLD.
PHOTOGRAPHS EXHIBITED PERMANENTLY AT
01.    AT GANDHI ASHRAM ON GANDHIJI'S LIFE - AHMEDABAD.
02.    AT KOCHRAB ASHRAM ON GANDHIJI'S LIFE - AHMEDABAD.
03.    AT AHMEDABAD AIR PORT.
04.    AT AHMEDABAD RAIL WAY "STATION.
05.    IN 1951  ONE PHOTOGRAPH EXHIBITED PERMANENTLY AT MYSORE EXHIBITION.
06.    3000 SQ. FT. PHOTOGRAPHY WORK EXHIBITED PERMANENTLY AT VAISHALI CINEMA, SURAT.
07.    PHOTOGRAPHS ON TARIBAL LIFE IN MANY SHOWROOMS OF "KHADIGRAMODYOG" SHOPS IN
GUJARAT.
08.    ASHOK GONDHIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AT RAJKOT.
PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED IN VARIOUS MAGAZINES OF USA AND UK
01.    AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHER AND CINE PHOTOGRAPHER - LONDON.
02.    VOLENCE AND HELTON LTD. LONDON - 1994.
03.    CALENDER CABLE - LONDON (FRONT PAGE).
04.    NATIONAL HUMAN REVIEW.
05.    ZENA 1975 CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
06.    MODERN CAMERA MAGAZINE, LONDON.
07.    U.S. CAMERA MAGAZINE, USA - 9153.
08.    ASIA - U.S.A. (COVER PAGE)
09.    FOTO RUND SCHAU, GERMABY
10.    THE TIMES - LONDON - 1957
11.    G.M.S. OUTLOOK, LONDON (COVER PAGE)
12.    GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY, LONDON
13.    KODAK LTD., MAGAZINE LONDON
14.    THE TIMES WEEKLY REVIEW.
15.    INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION OF JOURNALIST - 1st CLASS DIPLOMA.
16.    UNESCO   -   JAPAN   COMPETITION   FOR  ASIAN   COUNTRIES   AWARDED   BY   MANY   PRIZES   AND
CERTIFICATES FOR MANY YEARS.
17.    WORLD MARREIST REVIEW OF PLACE AND SOCIALIST FIRST DEGREE DIPLOMA.
18.    CESTNE  DZNI  -  81   INTERNATIONAL  COMPETITION  CERTIFICATE  OF  MERIT  AND  BRIEF  CASE
AWARDED.
19.    INTER PRESS PHOTO BAGHDAD - DIPLOMA OF MERIT.
20.    25th   ANNIVERSARY   AND   6th   PICTORIAL   PHOTOGRAPHY   EXHIBITION   OF   MALAYASIYA   AND
SINGAPORE - 1989.
PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED IN VARIOUS BOOKS
1942    -      HEALTH AND HEALING BOOK, INDIA.
1957    -      FEDERATION OF INDIAN PHOTOGRAPHY.
1985    -      "CRAFTS OF GUJARAT" BY MAPIN PUBLISHERS.
1985    -      EXHIBITION AND SEMINAR - INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE.
1986    -      "AN ARCHITECT FOR INDIA" BY BALKRISHANA DOSHI.
1987    -      "INSIDE" - RAJASTHAN
1987    -      "ARTS AND CRAFTS OF RAJASTHAN" BY MAPIN PUBLISHERS
1987    -      INTER PRESS PHOTO - BAGHDAD.
1987    -      UNESCO - INTERNAL ASIA, JAPAN.
1991
1993    -      SOREH PHOTO, TEHRAN.
PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED IN FOLLOWING NEWS PAPERS, MAGAZINES AND CALANDERS
01.    IN "ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY" PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITIONS WON MANY PRIZES FROM 1937 TO
1980 AND MANY PHOTOGRAPHS AND ARTICLES WERE ALSO PUBLISHED IN THEIR MAGAZINE.
02.    IN 'DHARMAYUG' FROM 1951 TO  1988 CONTINOUSLY.
03.    ORIENT ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY    - FRONT PAGE.
04.    TREND - COVER PAGE PHOTOGRAPH.
05.    TIMES OF INDIA, BOMBAY IN READERS INTEREST COLUMN.
06.    HINDU - MADRAS (PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED IN PHOTO CONTEST)
07.    SUNDAY MAGAZINE.
08.    AMRIT BAZAR PATRIKA.
09.    SUNDAY STANDARD.
10.    INDIAN EXPRESS
11.    ANIMAL WELFARE BOARD, MADRAS IN THEIR CLAENDERS, POSTERS FROM  1977 TO  1989.
12.    B.B. AND C.I. RAILWAY IN ANNUAL NUMBER.
13.    GOVERNMENT OF GUJARAT INFORMATION BUREAU - IN THEIR PUBLICATIONS I.E. MAGAZINES
CALENDERS, DAIRIES AND BULLETIN ON SPECIAL MANY OCCASIONS.
14.    GUJARATI MAGAZINES LIKE :
l.RAMAKADU 2.NAVCHETAN 3.KUMAR 4.YOJANA 5.GUJCO BULLETIN 6.LOK JIVAN 7.PANCHYATIRAJ 8.KRISHI JIVAN 9.KHEDUT BANDHU 10.GRAM SWARAJ ll.SAINIK SAMACHAR (NEW DELHI-MILLITARY PUBLICATION) 12.SWASTHYA AUR JIVAN & MANY.
15.    HINDI DAILY NEWS PAPERS DAINIK BHASKER, NAI DUNIYA INDORE.
16.    TARANGA KANNAD WEEKLY, KARNATAKA, HAVE PUBLISHED PICTORIAL PHOTOGRAPHS, FAMILY
HISTORY OF SHRI PRANLAL PATEL IN 1988.

17.    1 .PHOTOGRAPHS PUBLISHED IN ROTARY REPORT, 2.CAMERA IN THE TROPICS, 3. THE TREASURE
CHEST, 4.HEALTH (POONA), 5.KODAK INDIAN MAGAZINE, 6.INDIAN CONCRETE JOURNAL,
7.KHILAUNA DELHI, 8.CHEST, 9.YOUR HEALTH-CALCUTTA, 10.INDIAN HOME, 11.HERALD OF
HEALTH, 12.SATELITE, 13.AHMEDABAD BOOKS - AND ALSO PUBLISHED IN GUJARAT GOVERNMENTS'
CALANDERS, DAIRIES, BROCHURES AND LITERATURES EVERY YEAR TILL TODAY.
FELICITATION FOR BEST COVERAGE
1947    -      16MM FILM OF PRINCE MANOHAR SINGH JADEJA OF RAJKOT.
1957    - HONOURED BY KING OF JAMNAGAR STATE BY GOLD MEDAL & CASH FOR "VRUJ YATRA" OF
16MM FILM.
1977    - HONOURED & CASHED WITH PRESENTATION FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC COVERAGE OF MARRIAGE
CEREMONY OF MYSORE STATE PRINCE SHRIKANT DUTT NARSINH VADHIYAR.
1990    -      AHMEDABAD MUNICIPAL CORPORATION HONOURED WITH CERTIFICATE & CASH.
1992    - FELICITATION BY THE GOVT. OF GUJARAT & CHIEF MINISTER ALONG WITH COPPER SHIELD &
CASH.
1992    -      FELICITATION BY AIIPC CONVENTION AT MADRAS.
1994    -      SLIDE SHOW OF OLD MONUMENTS IN THE NATIONAL PARADE BY N.C.C. OF GUJARAT.
SHORT LIFE SKETCH BY EDITOR OF TIMES OF INDIA GUJARAT MR. GOSWAMI AND PHOTO STORY IN THE COLUMN " MEGHDHANUSHYA"
-      INTERVIEW BY MR. PRATAP SINK JADEJA IN THE COLUMN "RANG UP RACHNA" & LIFE   SKETCH IN "PHULCHAAB" - RAJKOT.
-      HONOURED BY - " KAL GURJARI" OF VILA PARLE, BOMBAY. PROGRAMMES ON DOOR-DARSHAN, AHMEDABAD ON PLACES OF GUJARAT
APPROXIMATELY 25 PICTURE STORIES GIVEN TO DOOR-DARSHAN, AHMEDABAD WITH DETAILED HISTORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF VARIOUS PLACES IN GUJARAT.
AS A JUROR
01.    GUJARAT UNIVERSITY'S YOUTH FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPHY SECTION.
02.    AHMEDABAD MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, SANSKAR KENDRA ART EXHIBITION PHOTOGRAPHY
SECTION.
03.    STUDENT'S PHOTO COMPETITION IN N.I.D. AHMEDABAD.
04.    JUDJING ALL GUJARAT PHOTO EXHIBITION AT AHMEDABAD.
WORKED AS AN OFFICE-BEARER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY ACTIVITY
1973    -      PRESIDENT OF AHMEDABAD PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION FOR CONSECUTIVE TWO YEARS.
1980    - FOUNDER OF CAMERA CLUB OF KARNAVATI, AHMEDABAD. FROM 1980 TO 1989 PRESIDENT OF
CAMERA CLUB OF KARNAVATI.
TRAVELLING (EXCLUSIVELY FOR OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHY)
1935 TILL TODAY -
ATTENDING SEVERAL PLACES ALL OVER INDIA INCLUDING HIMALAYAN FLOWER VALLEY FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PURPOSE.


PHOTOS,  THEY BREATHE "PRANLAL'S  PHOTOS  HAVE PRAN"


How can an ideal teacher keep such nonsense thing with him ?, shouted one of the education inspector in Pranlal's class room in 1939 when he saw camera hanging in the classroom where Pranlal was teaching. For Pranlal, camera was and is a part of himself - his family. He felt very bad and slowly he left the job.
He started with a Box camera in 1932, then Super Iconta in 1936, Roli-flex in 1939 and now-a-days Nikon. A career of sixty-three years ! One would like to salute, such person like Pranlal, the photographer !
What is it that a human being, such a beautiful creature, does in life ? Why has he come here on this earth as a human being ? To celebrate each moment through pleasure and pain and share through his/her work-expression, creation. Only two things, celebrate and share.
Pranlal did this throughout his life. He is eighty-six; fortunately his physic and mind looks young. He worked with kings and queens, with simple ordinary people in the remote villages, talked with animals, birds and insects, sang song of nature, all through his camera. He created cameramen all around him even his grand children Gautam and Piyush. His wife is in a true sense Ardhangini, she is a good photographer too ! And his son Anand is really sharing his 'Anand' joy with his Pentex in the family and in the society at large. So Pranlal thus celebrates himself.
Sharing, when one sees Pranlal, one can see his 'humanness' in his pictures. People through out the world talk of 'the creator', 'the artist', 'the photographer1, 'the designer' their work and their personality. I am not talking of cermons here, but I definetely feel that one's own personality has a lot to do in ones own creation. In Pranlal one sees that humbleness, hardworking nature and a great skill. These pictures, he himself developed with his grand son after fifty-four years ! What about the negatives ! At this age to print hundreds of prints, is a job by itself and with this precision ! Let us hear'him in his own words, about his Kashmir tour.
In 1940 in the first week of summer vacation, I prepared myself to go to Kashmir. There were four classes in the train, first, second, inter and third class. So I purchased return ticket for Rs.42.50 paisa. From Palanpur, Abidbhai sayed gave me Kodak Super XX, fifty rolls. We (with some friends from Bombay) sat in inter-class and reached Ravalpindi at night. We spent the night in the waiting room. In the morning we proceeded to Shrinagar. We reached Shrinagar in the evening. We gave Rs. 2.50 per day in houseboat. Roli-flex camera with acessories was with me. In Shrinagar there was a place called 'Bund.' large stores were there. I used to give my film daily to know the results. The inhabitants of Shrinagar helped us a lot and used to serve us tea even at remote areas. We were eating lots of apricots which was hundred pieces for six annas.
I was inspired by two persons. Balvant Bhatt and with his photomagazines, his advice in photography and the blessings of Shri Ravishankar Raval.
This shows his own eagerness and care for his work, with in three-hundred rupees he shot fifty rolls, brought lots of artistic craft work and above all this wealth, creation which you all are sharing now, the photographs !
When one sees his photographs one come across his mind and heart, how he experiences these, Kashmiris three figures with a few stones (Title-Kashmir! Trio) it creates an owe in you. It shows the power of nature and man and their relation. The water, (Title : Beauty of Flowing River) just itself creates beautiful patterns. In Pranlal's photography it is the poetry, it is the rythme which is at a focal point, weather you see a house boat or a shop or nature ! clouds are placed and played through his camera in such a way that they become poetry, they sing! Pranlal gives 'dignity' to whatever he touches through eyes and mind ! Milkman, see his pots and «himself ! Pranlal shows us those pots which we have not seen through our eyes and gives a great respect to them through balancing on the shoulders !
Kashmir is known for its nature, but to sing for it one needs photographers like Pranlalbhai. Water, some times you see as if it contemplates like a great
sage and some times the water sprinkles and look like naughty sister brother teasing each other !
In this age of technology when we observe these photos we feel as if we are watching the root, the seed, the child, the real human and nature.
In Pranlal's photography I may not talk of many other elements of art here but one thing I can not resist myself without saying that his play of space is marvellous ! One would see many a times 1/4 sky 3/4 land; 1/2, 1/2; 1/4, 1/2; 1/4, 1/10; /910, 1/10; and so on, but some times one sees 9/10 sky and 1/10 land but then the sky is filled with those tall trees which makes the picture unique, so he breaks the space in many many different ways which makes his contribution unique.
Photography should be known now as an 'art 'form'. We have to work for it. Lots of new photographers should experiment in this society rich weather he or she may be a Painter, Sculptor, Designer, Artist, Craftsman, Musician, Dancer, Architect or a Photographer !
Pranlal's photographs inspires us and will inspire generations to come. Let there be a book on his life and work.
Haku shah
(Padmashree)
20-3-1995