Uploads from Captain Suresh Sharma, tagged respect

Indian Guns Salute Abhinav Bindra - India's Pride at Beijing 2008

nobody@flickr.com (Captain Suresh Sharma) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:13:51 -0700

© Capt Suresh Sharma. All Rights Reserved

I do not remember the exact year, but few years ago I met the Bindras at their residence at Chandigarh, as a photojournalist friend was doing a story on Abhinav Bindra. I saw Abhinav and his world class shooting infrastructure (self funded, I think) at home. We exchanged no words and no greetings. He was so quiet and calm that for a moment I thought its his imperious nature, as his success has hit his head. But at the same time, after having seen his infrastructure and his devotion, I was murmuring to myself that if there is ever a hope of any magical Gold at any Olympics in near future then its Abhinav Bindra. After that he did get laurels at the world events, but Olympics medal evaded him at the Athens in 2004. I was quite disappointed, as he and millions of Indians were.

This morning, when a friend from Chandigarh, Nitin Badhwar, who is working at Dubai, told me via chat that India wins first Gold in shooting, I thought it was Lt Col Rathore who must have done the proud. Next message, I was told its Bindra who did it. I rushed to switch on TV set to see the news and I was overwhelmed when I saw Live ceremony of Bindra coming on the prestigious podium to get his Gold. My eyes swelled with pride like many other billion Indian eyes, when we all saw Abhinav climbing up the podium and the Tricolour racing up the flag mast and our national anthem being sung. I can imagine the joy the winner must be getting, it’s the hard work, as they say “to be a winner one has to die many times while living”. And when you get your goal, the joy has no bounds and all the pains of toil and labour is forgotten. The Chinese shooter who won Silver was overwhelmed by the same joy and was struggling to hold his eyes while he raised his medal in air and all the Chinese jumped with joy and the stadium was full of Chinese joyous screams, he could not hold for long and his eyes did tell everyone that he is overjoyed. I wish I could be there to join the Indian cheers, while Bindra climbed the podium as very calm and quiet, while placed our Tricolour on the mast up.

All these years, he has worked single mindedly, focused, all energy concentrated only on one goal – The Olympic Gold ! I think its his nature of being calm and quite, which was mistook as arrogance by me. He belongs to a very affluent Punjabi family and I thought that must have spoilt him. But that helped him make the Gold at Beijing. He has no ambition to earn wealth through the Golds, he is passionate about his goal and that is why he has done it at Beijing.

Today, I had to make an effort to find some happiness and smile on his face when he was on the podium with his Gold. He made no special gestures or expressions, he was same calm and quiet.

Abhinav’s Gold is the result of his own devotion, his familie’s hard work and his coach. Everyone of them has chipped in equally, otherwise it wouldn’t have been possible. He worked like a saint for 12 years to get this Gold. Honestly, we as a country did nothing to support him, now we are there to share the pride.

While he was shooting, he was trailing at sixth position, but he remained calm and focused, it was his last shot which got him the Gold.

May he win many more laurels in future Olympics !!!

We all honour him with `gun salute’ for making us proud !!!

Rajasthani Married Woman in Blue at Pushkar Cattle Fair

nobody@flickr.com (Captain Suresh Sharma) — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 12:13:27 -0800

Captain Suresh Sharma posted a photo:

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I was wandering around like any other photographer in Pushkar, when I spotted two three tribal families discussing some camel deals and were quite engrossed in their conversation etc. Which gave me a good opportunity to photograph them for some nice candid shots. Consent was extended to me silently by one of the elders' eyes, to photograph them. Wallah! What else I wanted !!! Nothing more! Remember, you do not need a verbal consent always; most of the times a blink of your eyes conveying your honesty and warmth gets you consent for whatever way you wish to photograph your subject. About a year ago, I used to wonder how travel photographers manage to photograph people. Now, I know its your work and love for photography that teaches you how to handle your subject, with time of course.

I spotted this newly married lady sitting with one of the families. But as a custom of rural India, she had covered her face with veil (more precisely Dupatta), as her father-in-law and other elderly males were around. For a moment, I thought, I will get a nice shot of the newly married rural lady with her face visible through the veil. But she just won't relent to my repeated requests, which I started making through her own family. I sat down and aimed my camera on her and kept requesting and clicking my shots through her blue `dupatta' (head cover). She was revolving around like a `doll with winding machine'. At times, she looked at me through the veil and other moment glanced at her in-laws. She could not dare lift the veil even for a moment, lest her mother-in-law rebuke her for overlooking the customs and traditions, but she too was keen to be photographed. Like any other female she wanted to be photographed to exhibit her beauty. But was shy and had to act within the traditions and customs of her tribe. I was happy that she did not lift her veil, which gave me a better shot than without veil.

I enjoyed the shoot!

Young Amritdhari Sikh at Golden Temple, Amritsar (INDIA)

nobody@flickr.com (Captain Suresh Sharma) — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 11:29:52 -0700

Captain Suresh Sharma posted a photo:

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I found this young Amritdhari Sikh at Golden Temple and waitied for the right moment for a click. As he started praying just before getting into the Sarovar (Holy Tank), my Canon 20D went click click..... Its a tough task to follow the principles of an Amritdhari Sikh. I was quite impressed with this young man and his spirit.

Amritdhari is a Sikh believer who has undergone initiation into the Khalsa. Amrit Dhari means "One who takes the nectar," referring to the Sikh baptism ceremony, the Amritsanskar.

SIKH PHOTOGRAPHY

Old Devoutees at Golden Temple, India

nobody@flickr.com (Captain Suresh Sharma) — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 09:35:37 -0700

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Both were wondering about me that why I am roaming around with a camera there. One at the back had just come out of the Sarovar (holy tank) and was drying himself.

Saluting Soldier at a Ceremony, Indian Army

nobody@flickr.com (Captain Suresh Sharma) — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 11:37:45 -0700

Captain Suresh Sharma posted a photo:

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MORE IMAGES OF THE INDIAN ARMY

This Maratha Light Infantry soldier, dressed in the ceremonial dress is saluting the Governor of Haryana, who was the chief guest at the horse show opening ceremony.

MORE IMAGES OF THE INDIAN ARMY