The way Home Minister Amit Shah helped a journalist recently has become the talk of the town in New Delhi. And though the help was extended last year, it came to light this year only when the journalist went to Amitbhai’s house to tie rakhi. Shipra Das is a renowned photojournalist who has snapped several politicians, corporate honchos, bureaucrats and the aam aadmi in her four decades of photojournalism.
Last November, Shipra lost her camera. She was very sure that her camera had been stolen by an auto-rickshaw driver and his allies. Shipra who is also an author and has done commendable work during her stint with India Today was heartbroken. Because for Shipra, her camera was not only her world but her only means of livelihood. She had registered an FIR with the Lakshminagar police station in Delhi but nothing much was happening. Shipra was returning to her house in Noida after an assignment. While in the auto-rickshaw, the driver had made a few stops and there were co-passengers also.
Shipra had found her camera bag heavier than it usually was when she was getting down. So she checked and found that her camera was missing and the miscreants had filled her bag with stones. From day one, Shipra doubted the auto-rickshaw driver and his friends but no action was taken.
Some common friends told her to approach the Home Minister. Not only was Amitbhai very generous and helpful, but his timely intervention ensured that Shipra got back her camera. Rakesh Asthana of Gujarat police was the Delhi police commissioner when this incident took place. Shipra’s camera was worth Rs seven lacs. This happened last November but a few days back, Shipra decided to go to Amitbhai’s residence. It was Rakshabandhan and the veteran photographer tied a rakhi to Amitbhai.
It must be noted that Shipra hails from West Bengal and during her 40-year career has worked with Anandbazard Patrika group, Aajkal newspaper and PTI before she moved to New Delhi in 1987 where she started heading PTI’s photo coverage, She also worked with India Today magazine for more than 20 years.
Interestingly, soon after Shipra Das moved to Delhi, she shared a flat with none other than Mamata Bannerjee for two years from 1989 to 1991. Mamata Bannerjee is the current chief minister of West Bengal.
Shipra’s book, The light within: A different vision of life shed light, through photographs, on the life of the visually impaired. It was released by President Pranab Mukherjee in 2013
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