Pranav O
Chennai TN, India
An ex-Air Force Officer turned corporate professional, I discovered my passion for photography about a decade back when I was in college. My work focuses on capturing people, culture, and environment and through my photography, I aim to tell meaningful stories that connect people with their culture.
Instagram: @pranavom
Ramnami
The Ramnami community, once marginalised in Chhattisgarh, practices the unique tradition of tattooing the name of Lord Ram on their bodies, symbolising both devotion and a protest against social exclusion. The portrait here is of Ram Mehatar, now 83 years old, started tattooing himself at the age of 14 and belongs to the Naksik section of the community who have their full-body tattooed and are among the few survivors of this practice. His tattoos, made from a mixture of babool tree (Gum Arabica) and castor oil ash, are a testament to his lifelong commitment to Lord Ram.