Latest news with #Bachpan
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Of dreams and childhood josh in Vicky Roy's b/w frames at Delhi exhibition Bachpan
What does it mean to grow up with nothing and still find joy? Vadehra Art Gallery invites viewers to ponder over it through a photo series titled Bachpan (childhood) by Vicky Roy. The photographs, filled with laughter, are a fleeting magic of play of moods and emotions. They display the resilience of childhood shaped not by material comfort, but by imagination, community and survival. Vicky's lens captures children who find delight in the simplest things, even as they live in the shadow of poverty and displacement. His work is inspired by his own humble beginnings. Originally from Purulia, West Bengal, he left home at the age of 11 and began working as a rag picker at the New Delhi Railway Station. His life took a pivotal turn when he was taken in by the Salaam Baalak Trust, a Delhi-based NGO supporting street children. Reflecting on the time he spent playing with his friends in his village, the photographer says, 'We didn't need electronic gadgets. A ball made out of plastic was enough for us to play and have fun.' It is a sentiment that runs through much of his work: the idea that joy does not have to be bought but can be built from what is available. Bachpan, developed over 16 years, documents children in both rural and urban parts of India, including Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra and West Bengal. The photographs show children creating games with discarded materials and forming a strong sense of community and deriving joy from what little they have. Bachpan evokes a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time and an awareness of childhoods that are prematurely cut short. Vicky has also showcased photographs under series Janwaar, which were taken between 2015 and 2018. These shift the focus to a rural community in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh. Designed by his friend, Ulrike Reinhard, the series captures the transformation of a village after the creation of a skatepark, built to uplift children from the Adivasi and Yadav communities. With no formal training, the children taught themselves to skate by falling, getting up, and trying again. 'The motivation behind developing such a park in a rural area was that these children have the resilience to get up after a fall and continue to push their boundaries,' Vicky says. Today, some of the children travel internationally, representing India in skating competitions across Europe and China. Bachpan and Janwaar do not assert themselves loudly. There is no heavy-handed messaging in the 45 black-and-white frames. Vicky's photography resists spectacle. They stay close to the everyday acts of balancing on a skateboard, a pause in the middle of a game, a shared glance between friends. The strength of Bachpan and Janwaar lies in their quiet specificity. By placing the two projects side by side, it becomes evident how environments—rural or urban, improvised or designed—shape the way children move, play and grow. There's no singular narrative of hardship here. Instead, Vicky offers parallel photographs of energy, resourcefulness and change. By the time one exits the gallery, the question is not just about what these children lack, but about what they have made, how they have moved forward, and what new futures are already in motion. Rhea Kapoor and Akhya Shriti At Vadehra Art Gallery, D-53 Defence Colony; Till May 30; 10am to 6pm
India Today
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Press the play button
Published Photographer Vicky Roy has known precarity up close. As a runaway from Bengal who ended up as a ragpicker at the New Delhi Railway Station, to being rehabilitated by a local NGO that restored some semblance of normalcy in his life, Roy has looked poverty in the eye, and is now paying homage to life on the streets through 'Bachpan' at Delhi's Vadehra Art Gallery.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Time of India
Provide sensitive, proactive admin in edu institutes for disabled: Yogi
1 2 3 Lucknow: Expressing concern over disruptive elements attempting to lead disabled students in schools and universities astray, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday directed officials to ensure sensitive, vigilant and proactive administrative system in educational institutions catering to ' Divyang ' youth. Speaking at a meeting of the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities, the CM directed the officials concerned to ensure comprehensive inspections of all Bachpan day care centres, Mansik Mandit Ashray Kendras, integrated schools, and Mamta, Sparsh, and Sanket schools across the state. "We must remain fully alert to ensure the safety and psychosocial protection of students. Permission for external organisations to operate in these institutions should be granted only after thorough background investigations. Institutional frameworks must be strengthened by engaging with students and understanding their needs, and expectations of their parents," he said. The CM said that all vacant teaching posts in these schools should be filled up on an urgent basis. "Till regular appointments are made, qualified persons can be employed through alternative arrangements, and such candidates can be given appropriate weightage in future selection processes," Yogi said. The CM also reviewed the status of various schemes being implemented by the department and highlighted that over the past eight years, the department's budget had increased more than tenfold, "reflecting the govt's strong commitment" to the welfare of Divyang individuals. Officials informed the CM that under the Divyangjan Pension Scheme, Rs 1,300 crore had been distributed to 11.04 lakh beneficiaries, while approximately 12,000 people affected by leprosy are receiving monthly assistance of Rs 3,000. The CM said that a state-level campaign should be conducted to identify eligible individuals who were not receiving pensions. "Action should be taken against those who are availing benefits fraudulently," he added. In the last financial year, over 31 lakh beneficiaries availed of free bus travel in UPSRTC buses. In the same period, Rs 28.93 crore was provided to 35,136 Divyang individuals for assistive devices like tricycles, wheelchairs, and Braille kits. Under the Motorised Tricycle Scheme, equipment worth up to Rs 2 lakh has been supplied to 270 severely disabled beneficiaries. The CM said that delivery of benefits from central govt schemes to eligible state beneficiaries should be done promptly and urged MPs and MLAs to contribute funds toward the Motorised Tricycle Scheme. Reviewing the 'Cochlear Implant Scheme,' the CM stressed that its success hinges on initiating treatment from the newborn stage and instructed officials to maintain communication with the families of 214 children who received the implant and closely monitor their health progress. Officials informed the CM that 1,390 visually, hearing, and mentally challenged children were getting necessary training and education through child day care centres across 25 districts. These centres provide education to 1,680 children via 16 special schools, seven integrated schools, and five mental rehabilitation centres. The CM said that priority should be given to skill development-based courses at Lucknow's Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University and Chitrakoot's Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Divyang Rajya Vishwavidyalaya. He emphasized that these institutions should be promoted at the national level to attract Divyangjans from across the country. He also instructed the officials that divyang rehabilitation centres be established on priority at all 18 divisional headquarters to provide rehabilitation, education, and skill development services locally.
New Indian Express
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Good Moves
Childhood without gadgets 'The strong attraction to mobile phones and sophisticated gadgets of today's children raises concerns that they may lose touch with childhood's true essence. The exhibition is aimed at showing that happiness requires no financial resources. The most valuable childhood moments often arise from the simplest of things,' he says. Divided into two parts, 'Bachpan' and 'Janwaar Castle', the exhibition showcases a total of 45 photos on the theme—from children's lives from a remote and marginalised village in Bundelkhand to the metropolis of Mumbai. 'Childhood is the most precious time of someone's life. Children enjoy this phase to their fullest. The quotidian stress and grind that adults go through are still far away. Children find their own way to happiness, even if they lack money. This exhibition is an attempt to reflect that through my lens,' says Roy. Hard at play The black and white photographs show children from various age groups doing flip-flops, chasing a buffalo herd, or poised for skateboarding dare-devilry. 'I donated one of my artworks when the park was being made. So, when the park was built, I was invited to see it once. Since then, I have been a regular here. Every time I come here, I see how happy they are despite not having a lot of options. This skating park has also increased the participation of children in the school, as Janwaar Castle has two strict rules: 'no school, no skating' and 'girls first.' Children love skating so much that they flock to the local school. In addition, it has also encouraged a lot of participation of girls in skating,' adds Roy with a laugh. 'Bachpan' spotlights photos of children across the nation. Roy has travelled throughout India and framed children during their leisure time. From a village school in Utai in Chhattisgarh to the streets of Mumbai, this album covers children from different communities, ethnicities, and linguistic backgrounds. 'Although they are different from each other, their soul is the soul of a child, and that is the theme of this album. You can't differentiate a group of boys/girls in a school in Utai village in Chhattisgarh from a group of kids playing in India's financial hub, Mumbai's Worli. They are happy, what else do they need?' asks Roy. In 'Bachpan' and 'Janwaar Castle', Roy has focussed on children from marginalised and deprived sections of society. When asked about this, he answers, 'It is a common perception that money is needed to celebrate or enjoy childhood. This is a myth. Money is necessary, no denying that. However, a lot of children in India, still live the time of their lives without much resources. They are not limited by this. When they grow up, the grind of life will take over. But their moments of celebration will be captured forever in my lens,' says Roy. 'Bachpan' is on view at Vadehra Art Gallery till May 30 from 10 am to 6 pm
Hindustan Times
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
HT City Delhi Junction: Catch It Live on 13 May 2025
What: Bachpan – Solo photo exhibition by Vicky Roy Where: Vadehra Art Gallery, D-53, Defence Colony When: May 2 to 30 Timing: 10am to 6pm Entry: Free Nearest Metro Station: Lajpat Nagar (Violet Line) What: Natyollasam – Kuchipudi recital ft Sritanaya Tatipamala Where: The Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road When: May 13 Timing: 7pm Entry: Free Nearest Metro Station: JLN Stadium (Violet Line) What: Lesser Known Heritage – The Role of Media Where: Conference Room I, India International Centre, Lodhi Road When: May 13 Timing: 6.30pm Entry: Free Nearest Metro Station: Jor Bagh (Yellow Line) What: Just Joking – Madhur Virli, Swati Sachdeva & Aakashdeep Where: Happy High, 119, Sishan House, Shahpur Jat When: May 13 Timing: 7pm Entry: Nearest Metro Station: Hauz Khas (Yellow & Magenta Line) What: London Market – Spring Artisan Market Where: Radisson Blu, 1021, Krishna Nagar, Sector 20B, Faridabad When: May 13 Timing: 11am to 8pm Entry: Free Nearest Metro Station: Bata Chowk (Violet Line)
